Viral video shows drone delivering food to tourists at The Great Wall of China

A trek along the Great Wall of China often leaves tourists out of breath and craving a quick bite. Now, thanks to an unusual but increasingly common innovation, snacks and meals can fly to you, literally. A video that went viral this week shows a food delivery drone gliding over the Badaling section of the Wall, lowering a package neatly onto a landing marker.

The clip, posted by a young visitor, captures the entire moment. Dressed casually and narrating her walk, she admits she is “so hungry” and decides to order delivery, right there, on the centuries-old fortification. Minutes later, the hum of rotor blades cuts through the mountain air. The drone hovers, steadies itself, and descends on a QR-style landing pad placed on the stone structure. Out comes a box of Subway. The tourist bites into her sandwich, remarking with surprise that the food has travelled well.



The service is part of a project launched by Chinese delivery giant Meituan, one of the country’s largest on-demand platforms. The company now allows visitors at Badaling, the most popular and accessible section of the Wall near Beijing, to order food, drinks, and even small emergency supplies.

According to Meituan, the drones operate daily between 10 AM and 4 PM, carrying packages of up to 2.3 kilograms (about five pounds). The delivery cost is 4 yuan, roughly the same as a regular ground order. A rooftop site nearby serves as the launch station, while the drones use coded landing pads at select watchtowers for precision drop-offs.

While the video has entertained viewers across social media, the service itself is not a gimmick. The Badaling stretch, despite being heavily visited, has long walks between food stalls. For tourists who are tired, elderly, or pressed for time, the drone option brings quick relief. “It’s like the past and the future meeting halfway,” one Instagram user commented.

The initiative also reflects a wider national push to expand China’s low-altitude economy, where drones are expected to play a growing role in logistics, tourism, and even healthcare. Meituan has already tested more than 50 drone delivery routes across major cities, dropping meals onto university campuses, office rooftops, and residential complexes.

Still, there are limits. Weather can ground flights, batteries restrict the distance, and meals must be light enough for safe carriage. Deliveries are also restricted to set hours. Yet in places like the Great Wall, where carrying carts or installing eateries is difficult, drones bridge the gap between tourist comfort and heritage preservation.

For now, the viral video continues to spark debate. Some marvel at the convenience, while others argue the sight of a buzzing drone feels out of place at a UNESCO World Heritage site. But the test run seems to have proven its point: food can indeed fly to one of the world’s most historic monuments.

A structure built to keep the world out is now inviting technology in, one sandwich at a time.