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Test with autonomous electric aircraft in China combines air transport and bullet train to carry freshly harvested tea from a mountainous region to large consumer centers in an unprecedented logistics route.
A large electric drone, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, was used in China to transport fresh tea leaves for about 120 kilometers between cities in the mountainous province of Guizhou.
The test was conducted by AutoFlight with the CarryAll model, also identified as V2000CG, an autonomous, pilotless cargo eVTOL aircraft.
According to the company, the journey between Anshun and Guiyang was completed in 37 minutes.
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The operation involved an aircraft classified in the 2-ton range and carried freshly harvested tea, a product that relies on rapid transport to preserve commercial characteristics.
After arriving in Guiyang, the shipment continued by bullet train to Shanghai, on a route that combined autonomous air transport and high-speed rail.
According to AutoFlight, the objective of the test was to demonstrate an alternative for shortening travel times in regions where winding roads, rugged terrain, and altitude differences increase ground transport time.
In Guizhou, a province characterized by mountainous areas, road journeys can be more time-consuming than the direct distance between two points suggests.
Fresh tea left the mountains by electric drone
Harvesting fresh teas requires speed to maintain quality, aroma, and market value.
In the test, AutoFlight presented a logistics model aimed at transporting agricultural products from remote regions to consumer centers, with the combined use of an electric aircraft and a high-speed train.
The CarryAll completed the first leg of the journey.
The aircraft departed from the Anshun region and flew to Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou.
From there, the cargo was integrated into the high-speed rail network bound for Shanghai, on a total route reported by the company as close to 2,000 kilometers.
The company states that the operation allowed the tea to reach consumers within 24 hours of harvest.
In this format, the eVTOL operates in the initial segment of the logistics chain, especially in areas where trucks face limitations due to terrain and road conditions.
The long-distance leg is handled by the bullet train, a mode of transport already used in Chinese intercity corridors for rapid travel between major centers.
CarryAll V2000CG is the megadrone used in the test
The CarryAll V2000CG is an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
The model can take off from the ground without a runway, like a helicopter, and then perform horizontal displacement on a programmed route.
According to data released by AutoFlight, the aircraft has a maximum payload capacity of 400 kilograms, a range of up to 200 kilometers, and a cruising speed of around 180 km/h.
These specifications place the equipment in a distinct category from light drones used for filming, inspections, or small-scale deliveries.
The V2000CG operates without an onboard pilot.
Navigation and route execution depend on autonomous flight systems, while the operation follows civil aviation rules and requires planning, authorization, and supervision.
Therefore, the absence of a pilot inside the aircraft does not eliminate the need for operational control.
AutoFlight reports that the CarryAll has received type, production, and airworthiness certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the CAAC.
These documents are related to project approval, manufacturing capability, and formal conditions for aircraft operation in the country.
eVTOL transport targets hard-to-reach regions
The choice of tea relates to the product’s characteristics.
Fresh food and agricultural inputs can lose quality when spending many hours in transit, especially on routes subject to heat, humidity, vibration, and delays.
In mountainous areas, this problem tends to be exacerbated by road distance and terrain conditions.
The main operational function of an eVTOL on this type of route is to connect points that do not have conventional airports or runways.
Provided that safety requirements are met, compact areas near farms, cooperatives, or logistics centers can serve as takeoff and landing points.
This type of application can serve production chains that depend on speed in the first leg of transport, such as fresh food, medicines, biological samples, and urgent parts.
In the case of the test in Guizhou, AutoFlight focused the demonstration on transporting a freshly harvested agricultural product to a long-distance rail connection.
The aircraft is electric and, therefore, does not use aviation fuel during flight.
Even so, the full environmental impact of such an operation depends on factors such as the origin of the electricity used for recharging, the manufacturing and replacement of batteries, aircraft maintenance, and the commercial scale of the service.
These points were not detailed in the public communications about the tea transport.
China tests cargo eVTOLs on new routes
The flight in Guizhou adds to other tests disclosed by AutoFlight with large electric aircraft.
The company has already reported operations involving transport to offshore platforms, intercity cargo flights, and emergency support applications.
In one of these missions, the CarryAll was used to transport supplies to an offshore oil platform, on a route of about 150 kilometers, according to the company.
In addition to the cargo version, AutoFlight is developing a passenger aircraft called Prosperity, also known as V2000EM.
The project is aimed at passenger transport and is undergoing certification stages in China.
For aircraft intended for passengers, safety, redundancy, and regulatory approval requirements typically involve specific criteria from aviation authorities.
Projects of this type are part of the eVTOL segment, an acronym for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Although the sector is also associated with urban passenger transport, some companies have first tested logistics applications, with defined routes, specific cargo, and uncrewed operation.
Cargo drone logistics still depends on scale
An operational demonstration does not mean immediate large-scale adoption.
For cargo eVTOL transport to be regularly incorporated, operators need to prove economic viability, safety in different weather conditions, route regularity, and integration with terrestrial and railway networks.
Infrastructure is also a relevant factor.
Even without relying on a runway, an aircraft of this size needs suitable areas for landing, recharging, maintenance, communication, and traffic control.
In agricultural regions, implementation may require coordination among producers, logistics operators, aviation authorities, and transport companies.
In the Chinese test, the use of the eVTOL was concentrated on a short, complex terrain section, while the longer stage was carried out by high-speed train.
This arrangement indicates an application aimed at reducing bottlenecks at the beginning of the logistics chain, especially when the time between harvest and market arrival influences the product’s value.
The transport of Guizhou tea brought together a traditional cargo, produced in mountainous areas, and an autonomous electric aircraft in the commercial application phase.
The operation shows how electric cargo aviation is being tested on specific routes before a potential expansion to other products and regions.
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