Hesai Partners With Meituan's Keeta To Supply Lidar For Next-Gen Drones
Hesai Group (NASDAQ:HSAI) on Tuesday announced a supply partnership with a major delivery drone operator.
The lidar company will provide its solid-state FTX sensors for next-generation urban delivery drones. Under the agreement, Hesai will supply its second-generation solid-state FTX lidar to Keeta Drone, Meituan's autonomous delivery brand.
The sensor will support Keeta's next wave of low-altitude logistics drones. Hesai said the deal aims to speed the commercialization of drone delivery in dense urban settings.
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Keeta Drone's Operations
Keeta Drone has built an integrated air-and-ground delivery network using its own drone systems. The company has expanded its deliveries beyond food to include pharmaceuticals and emergency supplies.
It operates 65 delivery routes across cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Keeta also runs routes in Hong Kong and Dubai and has completed more than 740,000 deliveries.
Keeta introduced its fourth-generation long-range drone, the M-Drone 4L, and described it as the first commercial delivery drone with lidar as a standard component.
The drone combines lidar, vision and GNSS for sensor fusion.
Hesai said its FTX lidar provides 3D perception that helps drones detect small obstacles, including power lines and branches.
The company said the sensor maintains stable performance at night and in rain or fog.
Nighttime Demonstration
At a launch event, Keeta demonstrated a two-kilometer nighttime flight guided entirely by lidar-based navigation. The company said the approach allows navigation without relying on satellite signals or vision-only systems.
The demonstration highlighted how lidar and positioning advances can support precise flight in low-altitude corridors.
FTX Enhancements
Hesai said FTX doubles the resolution versus its prior version and features a smaller design.
The company also said the unit cuts weight by 66%, which can reduce integration work and manufacturing costs.
Hesai expects large-scale production and deliveries to begin in 2026.
HSAI Price Action: Hesai Group shares were down 1.36% at $22.44 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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