Heavy commercial drone takes to the air in Shaanxi

China's first large cargo drone, which equipped with off-road tires, successfully completed its maiden flight recently in Yulin, Shaanxi province, carrying muskmelons and cherries.

The Yuyang I, a fixed-wing aircraft, is lightweight but muscular. It has a payload capacity of 500 kilograms and has a range of more than 1,000 kilometers.

Li Chen, executive vice-president of the civil aviation research institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, said the drone's off-road tires allow it to take off and land on various terrains, from grass to sand and stones.

"It can also take off and land on short runways and can conduct supply transport and airdrop missions," he said.

Local officials said Yuyang district in Yulin has been working in recent years to build a large logistics drone base to serve the northwestern region. It has invested 678 million yuan ($93.5 million) to promote the development of its aviation industry, and has established a strategic partnership with the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China and others.

Mahe General Aviation Industry Park in Yuyang is among the first civil UAV experimental bases in China.

Liu Zhijun, a technical director for the construction of the park, said new models are being explored for low-altitude logistics, including the operation, management and flight testing of large logistics drones. It has also created a comprehensive application scenario for branch drone logistics lines.

Li Zhonghong, Party chief of Yuyang, said the district will focus on the integration of the low-altitude economy with other industries, and it will raise an additional five billion yuan to accelerate the construction of supporting facilities and expand applications.

Yulin boasts abundant airspace resources and airport clusters, with three regional airports and three general aviation airports already in operation, providing a solid foundation for the development of the low-altitude economy.