Shenzhen Tech Travel Guide: Drone Delivery and Self Driving Taxis in China’s Most Futuristic City

Shenzhen, China is known for its widespread use of advanced technologies and is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of China. So when we were visiting Hong Kong, we had to visit Shenzhen and check it out for ourselves.

Shenzhen is just a short train ride away from Hong Kong and it is absolutely worth adding to your itinerary if you are interested in technology, innovation, and futuristic travel experiences.

In this post, I will show you exactly where to find drone delivery in Shenzhen and how to use the self driving taxis, step by step.

Drone delivery in Shenzhen: Where to find it and how it works

One of the most popular tech experiences in Shenzhen is food delivery by drone. We had seen many videos on social media showing drones delivering coffee and meals, so we wanted to try it ourselves.

The drone delivery locations are not shown on Google Maps, which generally does not work in China, so we had to find them manually. We found active drone delivery stations in two places:

• Next to Shenzhen Book City Central City Branch

• Near the Ritz Carlton in Futian

Once we found the drone delivery machine, we had to figure out how to place an order. The drone delivery service is offered by Meituan, which is one of China’s major food delivery apps. Normally, Meituan only works with a Chinese phone number.

Luckily, we had WeChat and WePay activated. By scanning the QR code on the drone delivery machine, we were redirected into the Meituan interface inside WeChat, where we could place our order without downloading the full app.

About 15 minutes later, our iced coffees arrived via drone. Watching the drone land and open the delivery compartment was one of the most futuristic travel moments we have ever had. If you are visiting Shenzhen, trying drone delivery is an absolute must.

Self driving taxis in Shenzhen: How to use Pony.ai

Next, we tried the self driving taxi service in Shenzhen, also known as driverless taxis.

The app you need is called Pony.ai.

The sign up process requires phone number verification, but it worked with our German phone numbers. We recommend signing up before arriving in China in case verification is slow or blocked.

Using the app feels similar to any ride hailing service. You enter your destination, request a ride, and wait for the vehicle to arrive.

On the day we tried it, we received a car with a safety operator inside. The person was not driving but was there to monitor the system. While the car was still driving itself, having someone behind the wheel took away a little bit of the magic. Fully driverless rides depend on location, regulations, and time of day, so experiences can vary.

Still, riding in a self driving taxi in Shenzhen felt like stepping into the future and was one of the most interesting things we did during our visit.

Are there robots everywhere in Shenzhen

Not really.

You will see the occasional robot in restaurants, hotels, or metro stations, but Shenzhen does not feel like a science fiction movie set. The biggest difference compared to Europe is how deeply integrated mobile technology is into everyday life. People use their phones for payments, transport, food ordering, access control, and even medical appointments.

Shenzhen is not about flashy robots on every corner. It is about how seamlessly technology is built into daily routines.

OCT Harbour is a great area to visit the DJI Flagship store and a big Xiaomi store as well. here you will find the latest gadgets as well as many EV car showrooms

Is Shenzhen worth visiting for tech lovers

If you are interested in future technology, innovation, and smart city experiences, Shenzhen is absolutely worth visiting. Drone delivery and self driving taxis are not gimmicks here.

They are real services that people use in daily life.

For travelers coming from Europe or North America, Shenzhen offers a rare glimpse into what everyday life might look like in the near future.