Large cargo drone makes maiden flight

The prototype of the new large, unmanned cargo plane developed by Sichuan Tengden Sci-tech Innovation, touches down after its debut flight at an airport in Zigong, Sichuan province, on Sunday. CHINA DAILY

A new large, unmanned cargo plane developed by Sichuan Tengden Sci-tech Innovation, a private drone maker, made its debut flight on Sunday in Zigong, Sichuan province.

The new drone model, which has yet to be named, took off at 11:30 am from Zigong Fengming General Aviation Airport and flew for 20 minutes before returning to the airport. The flight verified the model's overall design and capability, according to Tengden, one of the country's major manufacturers of large drones.

With a length of 13.9 meters and a wingspan of 16.1 meters, the new drone is able to fly as far as 2,000 kilometers and reach an altitude of 7 km. It has 12 cubic meters of inner space available for cargo and can carry up to 2 metric tons. Those specifications make it one of the largest transport drones ever built in China.

Sun Yanyang, general manager of commercial drones at Tengden, said on Monday that the new model features strong carrying capacity, a large inner space and reliable design. It will be used for commercial freight transport and can operate from airports that are in poor condition, he said.

The prototype used for Sunday's flight was powered by two piston engines, and engineers have also begun to examine other solutions for its propulsion system, he said.

"We have started tests on turboprop and turbofan engines to see whether they are suitable for the drone," Sun said. "The choice of engines or aerodynamic configurations depends on users' requirements."

He said the designers will develop multiple variants of the drone to meet different demands.

"The drone's potential has been recognized by our clients," Sun said. "We have received letters of intent from several clients who want to buy it."

Tengden has established a reputation for its military and civilian drone products. Its military series, the Twin-Tailed Scorpion, can fulfill a host of tasks and carry a wide variety of weapons. They have been deployed by the People's Liberation Army in many reconnaissance and surveillance operations.

The company's civilian models have been used in emergency response, cargo delivery and communication support missions in China.

Industry observers say cargo drones are expected to have many business opportunities as China relaxes its control over low-altitude airspace and the nation's online shopping businesses continue to grow.

Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country's leading State-owned aircraft manufacturer, has built multiple types of cargo drones for testing and hopes to put them in commercial operation in the near future.