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 Xizang to Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County in Sichuan, 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.(Xinhua)