China's large drone completes pioneering plateau logistics flight

CHENGDU -- China's domestically developed large fixed-wing drone, the FP-985 "Taurus," completed a long-distance logistics flight across the high-altitude regions between Sichuan and Xizang on Wednesday.

Loaded with local specialties including butter tea and yak dairy products, the Taurus flew over 1,100 kilometers from Nyingchi city in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region to Beichuan Qiang autonomous county in Sichuan province, marking the success of the country's first logistics validation flight for a large drone in a plateau environment.

Developed by Aerospace Times Feipeng Co., Ltd., the drone is designed for operations in challenging environments such as plateaus, islands and other geographically complex regions. It boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 5.7 tonnes, a payload capacity exceeding 2 tonnes, and a ferry range of over 2,000 kilometers.

It is capable of long-range cargo transport in extreme environments, ranging from cold plateau areas to island salt-fog conditions. It also supports short takeoff and landing at standard airports and can be flexibly deployed at austere airfields.

The company said the aircraft is capable of all-weather continuous operations, boasting functions such as anti-icing/de-icing, lightning protection and high wind resistance.

"We modified the piston engine so that the Taurus can operate as efficiently at 4,000 meters above sea level as it does on plains," said Wei Yachuan, chief designer of the drone, adding that the successful maiden flight has laid a solid technical foundation for building a low-altitude logistics network in more complex geographical environments.

Traditional land transport in the Sichuan-Xizang region is constrained by its challenging terrain, complex geology, and volatile climate. The new aerial logistics route has slashed cargo transport time between Mianyang and Nyingchi from over 40 hours by land to less than 6 hours.

The route also establishes an economic bridge between the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the Sichuan Basin -- a hub for China's growing low-altitude economy.

As a provincial pilot zone for low-altitude economy, Beichuan county, where the Taurus landed, has built a preliminary industrial chain covering R&D, manufacturing, operations and training.

"The regular operation of this route will draw more logistics and e-commerce enterprises to Beichuan," said Li Haotian, Party chief of the county.

The corridor is set to facilitate two-way flow of goods: plateau specialties like Xizang yak meat and herbal medicines can be swiftly distributed via Beichuan to markets across China, while industrial products, daily necessities, and emergency supplies from Sichuan can be efficiently delivered to Xizang.

This will greatly enhance the commercialization and value of specialty agricultural products along the Sichuan-Xizang corridor, directly supporting income growth and industrial upgrading in ethnic regions.

With the successful flight of the Taurus, more such "aerial bridges" are set to span the western mountains, injecting robust "low-altitude momentum" into the drive for common prosperity and balanced regional development in China.