The use of drones for package deliveries has already begun in China, but much larger unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), some even the size of small aircraft, have recently been taking to the skies. Larger drones are emerging in the Chinese market as costs fall substantially and capacity increases. After several e-commerce retailers and delivery firms are already using small UAVs, a large cargo drone took off in North-West China in August, marking the first application of large drones in China’s logistics industry. The plane-sized carrier FH-98, developed by Chinese logistics firm SF Express, is designed to carry payloads of up to 1.5 metric tons and a maximum volume of 15 cubic meters, one of the largest of its kind in China. It is capable of flying as far as 1,200 kilometers on a single charge at a speed of 180 km per hour – sufficient for cross-provincial transport. The trial flight flew from Ningxia to neighboring Inner Mongolia in about an hour on a route that is difficult for overland transport due to mountains, deserts and wetlands.

SF Express said the large drone retains the traditional cargo aircraft’s advantages of speed and expediency and also significantly reduces operating costs – even equaling truck transport. The Shenzhen-based delivery company is developing an air transport network, including piloted planes for long distance transport, sizable crew-less aircraft for support routes, and small drones for short distance deliveries to individual recipients. Yang Daqing, Researcher at the China Society of Logistics, said that battery capacity and dynamic control of the drones were constraints on the sector’s growth, but recent technological advancements in batteries and 5G communications have ensured the safe and long-distance operation of UAVs. Yang said the shortage of cargo plane capacity and pilots also contributes to the growing demand for large-sized drones.

Autoflight Aviation Technology unveiled its newest large-sized cargo drone V400 “Albatross” at the 4th Drone World Congress in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in September, and the model is expected to carry out its maiden flight by the end of this year. The V400 features a maximum takeoff weight of 400 kilograms and a payload of 100 kg. Its flight range varies from 300 km to 1,000 km with a pure or hybrid-electric power system. The company also expects another new drone with a maximum takeoff weight of 1,000 kilograms to perform its maiden flight this year. Jiang Jun, Senior Strategic Vice President of Autoflight, said many clients approached the firm for cooperation after the debut of the V400.

“They asked us to provide solutions to deliver medicine to mountainous areas, metal products in mining zones and heavy equipment to construction firms,” Jiang said. They are preparing a trial run this month to deliver seafood from the Zhoushan Islands near Shanghai. Jiang said large drones are suitable for warehouse-to-warehouse transportation and costs could be lower compared to using trucks once they are put into large scale operation, especially to and from islands and mountainous regions. He believes the industry has entered a fast track of development as air traffic control is being relaxed this year and market acceptance of large drones is rising.

Yang Jincai, Director of the Shenzhen Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Industry Association, said the number of large drones displayed at the Shenzhen congress increased by about 25% compared to last year’s event. One of the buyers’ major concerns is how to build landing zones for large drones on roofs, at factories and in industrial parks, Yang said, adding that costs are increasingly less of an issue as they have been remarkably lowered in recent years. He anticipated the rapid growth of large drone transportation between industrial parks, residential areas and other areas with the advance of technologies, such as 5G and artificial intelligence (AI). A wide range of sectors such as petroleum, electricity and emergency rescue services demonstrated interest at the Shenzhen congress, as the overall number of visitors surged by about 20%, the China Daily reports.