Over 140 Low-Altitude Economy Sandbox Approvals as Hong Kong Signs Kazakhstan MoU
RTHK · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Transport and Logistics Bureau Chief Chan Mei-po announced on Thursday that the Civil Aviation Department has approved over 140 applications for the low-altitude economy regulatory sandbox since June last year. Speaking at a forum, Chan emphasized that Hong Kong's low-altitude economic applications have entered a normalization phase, moving beyond mere experimentation and testing. The government is now pushing to develop more advanced regulatory frameworks to handle complex scenarios including cross-border logistics and next-generation aircraft.
Key Points
- The Civil Aviation Department has approved over 140 regulatory sandbox applications since June 2025
- Hong Kong is developing "Regulatory Sandbox X" for advanced applications including cross-border logistics, non-traditional aircraft, and passenger-carrying aircraft
- A five-year development plan will be published next week alongside the Policy Address, described as crucial and decisive for the sector's future
- Hong Kong signed a memorandum of understanding with Kazakhstan during the Belt and Road Summit on Wednesday, covering standardization, talent training, and regulatory experience sharing
- Chan acknowledged that while Hong Kong still has distance to cover before reaching international standards, the city is actively progressing toward that goal
Why It Matters
The milestone of over 140 sandbox approvals demonstrates that Hong Kong's low-altitude economy is maturing beyond experimental stages into operational reality. The upcoming five-year plan combined with international partnerships like the Kazakhstan MoU positions Hong Kong to establish itself as a regional hub for low-altitude economic development while contributing to the eventual establishment of international standards in this rapidly evolving sector .
The milestone of over 140 sandbox approvals demonstrates that Hong Kong's low-altitude economy is maturing beyond experimental stages into operational reality. The upcoming five-year plan combined with international partnerships like the Kazakhstan MoU positions Hong Kong to establish itself as a regional hub for low-altitude economic development while contributing to the eventual establishment of international standards in this rapidly evolving sector .