Tea has been an important part of Chinese culture for centuries. Now it’s playing a role in the country’s future, as a fleet of drones test deliveries for Taobao. Just because the majority of the technology you use every day was manufactured and/or assembled in China doesn’t mean its government is ready to embrace futuristic advances like drone delivery.
Interestingly enough, drone delivery services in China are facing similar obstacles to their American counterparts. Rules and regulations still need to be put in place regarding important issues like collision liability and flight altitude. Taobao’s trial run is a pretty limited one. Their delivery partner, YTO Express, has already obtained the necessary clearances to operate the drones, but they’ll only be allowed to carry one specific type of tea made by a single company.
They’re also limited to just 450 deliveries for the time being, and they have a very brief three-day window during which the flights are allowed. If all goes well, Taobao customers could be ordering up all sorts of goods in the near future and requesting drone delivery. As long as the government’s OK with giving drones a little chunk of their massive military airspace.
