又中又英｜Low altitude economy

Hong Kong government officials have set their sights on yet another type of economy after promoting various economies, including a panda economy and a night economy. The new kid on the block is a low altitude economy. I was not familiar with a low altitude economy until Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu set his sights on developing it during his recent annual policy speech. To set your sights on something means to decide to achieve something and try very hard to achieve it. A new kid on the block means a new arrival of something or someone to a group or area.

A low altitude economy basically means airspace activities under 1,000 metres (3,280 feet). The most basic activity is the use of drones to deliver small packages. Air taxis flying at low altitudes are also considered part of a low altitude economy. Hong Kong is only at the planning stage of a low altitude economy. I think it will take years before Hong Kong can get a low altitude economy off the ground. To get something off the ground means to start something or to proceed in a successful way. Mainland China’s low altitude economy is already off the ground.

Amazon started using drones in 2022 to deliver small packets in some parts of the US. But in the US, it’s called drone delivery, not low altitude economy. I hope Hong Kong’s low altitude economy will succeed but I cannot imagine drones delivering small packages to Chungking Mansions or flying taxis over Central’s high-rise buildings.

香港政府官员继推广不同的经济发展，包括熊猫经济与夜经济之后，又再把目标放在（set their sights on）另一种经济上。这个后起之秀（new kid on the block）就是低空经济（low altitude economy）。我对低空经济（low altitude economy）毫不熟悉，直至行政长官李家超在他的年度施政报告中矢志（set his sights on）要发展它。To set your sights on something 是指立志、决心要达成某事，并会努力实现。A new kid on the block 是指一个刚加入团体或初到贵境的新秀，又或在团体或地区新亮相的某样新事物。

A low altitude economy就是一千米（三千二百八十尺）以下的空中活动，最基本的活动是使用无人机去运送细小包裹。低空飞行的空中的士也被视作低空经济（low altitude economy）之一。香港只处于低空经济（low altitude economy）的筹划阶段，我认为这需要很多年的时间，香港才能令低空经济（low altitude economy）真正「起飞」（off the ground）。To get something off the ground 是指去开始某事，或去促成某事成功。中国内地的低空经济（low altitude economy）就已经上了轨道（off the ground）。

亚马逊公司在二零二二年开始，便在美国一些地区使用无人机去运载细小包裹。但在美国，这叫做无人机送货，而不是甚么低空经济（low altitude economy）。我希望香港的低空经济（low altitude economy）会成功，但我想像不到无人机送货到重庆大厦，又或飞行的士穿越中环高楼大厦时会是怎个模样。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻