Robots sorting parcels has drawn wide attention. (Photo/Screenshot from video)
(ECNS) -- An online video showing robots sorting parcels has drawn wide attention as logistics firms actively embrace new technology.
The yellow robot can sort parcels with a length of 60 centimeters or less, a width of 50 centimeters or less, and a weight of five kilograms or less, said media reports.
It scans a parcel's bar code within a second and runs at a speed of up to three meters per second, able to finish sorting 18,000 parcels in an hour.
"I seem to see an army of Minions," and "Sweeping robots have quit their jobs to join couriers," netizens said.
Under China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) for the express delivery industry, courier companies are encouraged to adopt advanced technology and equipment, including robots, drones and driverless car.
SF Express, an industry leader in China, first tested parcel delivery by drones in 2013. By February 2017, the company had applied for or obtained a total of 111 patents in this field, it said.
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com said its drones had completed more than 1,000 flights totaling 10,000 minutes and almost 10,000 kilometers by November 2016.
YTO Express, another leading Chinese courier company, has developed a mobile app to help users keep track of parcels on a real-time basis.
Moreover, smart storage cabinets in cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen allow users to pick up parcels by inputting a code or scanning a QR code for this purpose.
