A drone lands at the takeoff point of a new coffee outlet operated by Liang'an Xiaoka. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

A new coffee outlet combining drone delivery and robotic coffee-making opened at Wushan Square in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Oct 20, introducing a new urban consumption model that integrates low-altitude aviation services with commercial operations.

The outlet, operated by Liang'an Coffee's sub-brand Liang'an Xiaoka, is located at Hangzhou's first shared-use drone takeoff and landing site. Its two-story design separates drone flight operations on the upper floor from coffee sales on the ground floor, allowing aviation services and retail to share the same space.

The site previously combined drone operations with public science education. Adding the coffee business expands its role to include commercial services, creating an integrated space for drone operations, robotic coffee-making, and aerial delivery.

The drone coffee delivery service has joined Hangzhou's urban low-altitude instant delivery network, with routes serving locations including Wulin Hospital, Qingtai Gate, and Shenhua. Du Songlan, deputy general manager of Hangzhou Low-Altitude Industry Development, said previous drone delivery operations had improved transport efficiency by 20 to 30 percent on 7- to 8-kilometer routes compared with ground transportation.

The Shenhua drone site has also opened its second floor to the public, allowing visitors to watch takeoffs and landings while enjoying drone-delivered coffee.

Hangzhou plans to explore more commercially sustainable applications for its low-altitude infrastructure, expanding the sector beyond flight operations into everyday urban services.