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CLP Power Launches Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight Drone Inspections Under Hong Kong's Low-Altitude Economy Pilot
New drone operations aim to enhance power grid inspection efficiency as part of government-backed regulatory sandbox initiative
On June 15, 2025, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited commenced a pilot scheme utilizing beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone operations to inspect overhead power lines and towers in Sai Kung.
This initiative is part of the Hong Kong government's Low-Altitude Economy (LAE) Regulatory Sandbox, which was launched in March 2025 to facilitate the development of drone technologies and applications.
The BVLOS pilot project allows small unmanned aircraft to operate beyond the visual line of sight of remote pilots within controlled and predefined flight routes.
CLP Power's drone team has submitted four inspection routes covering overhead line facilities in both sparsely populated and urban areas.
The trials aim to assess the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of drones for inspecting critical power supply infrastructure across various terrains and voltage levels.
Preliminary results indicate that the use of BVLOS drone operations can lead to a more than fourfold increase in the efficiency of inspecting overhead lines and towers, compared to traditional manual inspections, which typically cover an average of five kilometers per day.
This enhancement is particularly significant in remote or hazardous areas where access is challenging due to extreme weather conditions or geographical obstacles.
To support the development of the low-altitude economy, the Hong Kong government is implementing legislative amendments to the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order and the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995. These amendments, expected to take effect in mid-July 2025, will introduce a new Category C for unmanned aircraft weighing more than 25 kilograms but not more than 150 kilograms.
The changes will also facilitate trials of various unconventional aircraft under specified conditions, provided that aviation safety requirements are met.
The LAE Regulatory Sandbox has approved a total of 38 pilot projects covering diverse fields such as emergency and rescue, logistics and distribution, inspection and safety maintenance, surveillance, and low-altitude infrastructure.
These projects are being implemented by enterprises, research institutes, public utilities, and government departments to explore innovative applications of drone technology and to accumulate data and experience for the development of comprehensive infrastructure support for low-altitude activities.
This initiative is part of the Hong Kong government's Low-Altitude Economy (LAE) Regulatory Sandbox, which was launched in March 2025 to facilitate the development of drone technologies and applications.
The BVLOS pilot project allows small unmanned aircraft to operate beyond the visual line of sight of remote pilots within controlled and predefined flight routes.
CLP Power's drone team has submitted four inspection routes covering overhead line facilities in both sparsely populated and urban areas.
The trials aim to assess the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of drones for inspecting critical power supply infrastructure across various terrains and voltage levels.
Preliminary results indicate that the use of BVLOS drone operations can lead to a more than fourfold increase in the efficiency of inspecting overhead lines and towers, compared to traditional manual inspections, which typically cover an average of five kilometers per day.
This enhancement is particularly significant in remote or hazardous areas where access is challenging due to extreme weather conditions or geographical obstacles.
To support the development of the low-altitude economy, the Hong Kong government is implementing legislative amendments to the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order and the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995. These amendments, expected to take effect in mid-July 2025, will introduce a new Category C for unmanned aircraft weighing more than 25 kilograms but not more than 150 kilograms.
The changes will also facilitate trials of various unconventional aircraft under specified conditions, provided that aviation safety requirements are met.
The LAE Regulatory Sandbox has approved a total of 38 pilot projects covering diverse fields such as emergency and rescue, logistics and distribution, inspection and safety maintenance, surveillance, and low-altitude infrastructure.
These projects are being implemented by enterprises, research institutes, public utilities, and government departments to explore innovative applications of drone technology and to accumulate data and experience for the development of comprehensive infrastructure support for low-altitude activities.
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