Low-altitude drone logistics route to be launched in China's mountainous Guizhou
A regular low-altitude drone logistics route is set to be launched in the mountainous southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou this year, following a successful cross-city cargo trial flight of a domestically developed electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
On November 20, the 2-tonne eVTOL carried emergency medicines and local agricultural products from a low-altitude flight service base in Guiyang, the provincial capital city, to a general aviation airport in Huangping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture.
The 118 km journey was completed in just 40 minutes, a trip that would take over two hours by traditional ground transport through Guizhou's rugged karst terrain.
Huo Kui, project director at a low-altitude economy development company wholly-owned by Guizhou Civil Aviation Industry Group, said the flight tested the aircraft's stability and efficiency in Guizhou's complex mountainous terrain and would provide equipment and data support for transporting agricultural and emergency supplies.
He revealed that the province aims to make the route operational this year, with plans to later expand its applications to include passenger tourism and commuter transport.
The eVTOL, V2000CG CarryAll developed by Shanghai-based company AutoFlight, is the only aircraft of its kind globally to exceed a 1-tonne maximum takeoff weight and have obtained all three necessary Chinese aviation certifications: type, production and airworthiness.
It has a payload capacity of up to 400 kg with a maximum cruising speed of 200 km per hour and a range of 200 km, powered by batteries from CATL, AutoFlight's strategic investor.
Li Yun, chief commercial officer at AutoFlight's Kunshan company, which serves as the core module and final assembly production base, said the company aims to enhance Guizhou's low-altitude economy and support rural revitalization and modern logistics.
China's low-altitude economy is entering a stage of rapid growth. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China,聽聽will soar from 500 billion yuan (about $70.5 billion) in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025, with the potential to reach 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.