Hong Kong’s Lalamove, EY team up to shape ‘low-altitude economy’. What’s the plan?

Hong Kong delivery company Lalamove and professional services firm EY have joined forces and jumped on the “low-altitude economy” bandwagon in the hopes of expanding their reach in the Greater Bay Area and transforming conventional business.

The companies told the South China Morning Post that the collaboration would leverage Lalamove’s logistics platform and EY’s services in planning, business modelling, risk advisory, governance and tax and customs advisory.

The initiative involves equipment sourced from Ningbo-based drone specialist Yixin Smart Technology Company, with the devices taking part in the government’s regulatory sandbox project for low-altitude test flights.

The drones can carry packages weighing up to 4.5kg and cover distances of 12km to 18km (7.45 miles to 11.18 miles).

The Lalamove-EY team-up is among 38 pilot projects approved under the regulatory sandbox scheme. The government has so far received 72 applications as part of its push to help develop a lucrative low-altitude economy.

“Our driver partners remain the irreplaceable backbone of Lalamove’s operations,” a Lalamove spokesman said.