Unmanned logistics sector takes wing

China is accelerating the development of its low-altitude economy, as heavy-lift cargo drones made back-to-back maiden flights within 24 hours, underscoring momentum in unmanned logistics.

The Jiutian large unmanned aerial vehicle made its inaugural flight in Northwest China's Shaanxi province last Thursday. Designed by the Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC), the fixed-wing aircraft has a 25-meter wingspan, a maximum take-off weight of 16 metric tons and a payload capacity of 6,000 kilograms. It can operate for up to 12 hours and has a ferry range of 7,000 kilometers.

The global cargo-drone market could reach about $5 billion by 2031, growing at a 35.8 percent compound annual rate, according to Chinese consultancy QYResearch.

Policy support has intensified. At last week's Central Economic Work Conference, Beijing called for faster progress in strategic emerging industries — including drones, eVTOL aircraft and related infrastructure — alongside new energy, new materials and aerospace.

The meeting set priorities for the coming year focused on advancing high-quality growth and using scientific and technological innovation to drive industrial upgrades, with officials highlighting the role of disruptive and frontier technologies in creating new industries, business models and new quality productive forces.

Private sector executives say the signals are clear.

"China's large domestic market provides a broad stage for enterprises. The top leadership has consistently emphasized support for the healthy development of the private economy. The conference laid out multiple measures to energize private firms, and we are confident about future prospects," said Guo Liang, chief executive of Aerofugia, which focuses on drones and flying vehicles.

Aerofugia's first AE200100 passenger prototype has rolled off the line, marking entry into preproduction ahead of mass manufacturing. The company said it is pushing to secure airworthiness certification and begin commercial operations as soon as possible.

Regulatory framing has also widened. In November, the State Council's General Office issued a guidance naming the low-altitude economy as a key growth area within a full-domain unmanned system, calling for a prudent, orderly rollout of application scenarios. A separate document in the same month set out 13 targeted measures, including directing private capital to participate in infrastructure building for the sector.

Industry experts expect market space to expand as rules are refined and use cases grow. "Aviation is an industry with extremely stringent safety supervision — safety first is a red line," said Xie Jia, vice-president of Shanghai-based AutoFlight."Starting with cargo flights is intended to accumulate large-scale operational data and safety records, allowing regulators to fully gauge technological maturity and providing a basis for subsequent rulemaking.

"Profit models in drones are already relatively mature. As policy and scenarios gradually open up, commercial potential will be further unlocked."

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn