The Changyin-8, China’s first fixed-wing cargo drone with a 7-ton takeoff weight, made its maiden flight on March 31 in Zhengzhou, the capital of Central China’s Henan Province.
The Changying-8 completed the maiden flight on March 31 in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The Changying-8, which was independently developed by a Beijing-based subsidiary of China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, is hailed as an “aerial heavy truck”, marking another Chinese technological breakthrough in high-end, intelligent aerial logistics equipment.
The aircraft has an 18-cubic-meter cargo bay that can be accessed from the front and rear. It boasts a maximum payload capacity of 3.5 tons, thereby meeting transport needs for materials, fresh and refrigerated food, and emergency equipment. Notably, it has a flight range of over 3,000 miles.
The Changyin-8 can effectively carry out a range of tasks, such as long-distance transport, emergency response, border supply and delivery to complicated terrains, thus providing valuable support to the development of a low-altitude economy and the building of an emergency response system.
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
