- Autonomous cargo planes completed 120 km mountain delivery in just 37 minutes
- Hybrid air and rail transport enabled delivery of fresh tea within 24 hours
- The CarryAll drone carries up to 400 kg with a range of 200 km
Chinese-founded aerospace company AutoFlight has conducted a 2-ton-class eVTOL transport experiment moving fresh spring tea across mountainous terrain in Guizhou Province.
The test used its CarryAll (V2000CG), an unmanned electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, to move freshly harvested tea between the cities of Anshun and Guiyang, approximately 120 km apart.
That flight traversed rugged mountain terrain in 37 minutes, a trip that typically takes much longer by road due to winding routes and elevation changes common in the region.
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Maximum payload of 400 kg
Once the plane had delivered the tea to Guiyang, the shipment continued by high-speed train to Shanghai, covering close to 2,000 km in total distance.
The combined use of air and rail allowed tea to reach consumers within 24 hours of harvest, offering another way to move time-sensitive agricultural products from remote regions.
Unlike conventional cargo aircraft, the CarryAll operates without an onboard pilot and relies on autonomous flight systems to handle navigation and route execution.
The aircraft supports a maximum payload of 400 kg and has a range of up to 200 km with a cruising speed of around 180 km/h, making it suitable for medium-haul cargo routes where roads are slow or unreliable.
Vertical takeoff and landing capability removes the need for runways, allowing operations from compact pads near farms or logistics hubs, which can simplify deployment in mountainous or isolated areas.
AutoFlight said the CarryAll (V2000CG) has type, production and airworthiness certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, making it one of the earliest large cargo eVTOL platforms to reach that stage of regulatory approval.
“This innovative ‘autonomous eVTOL air transfer + high-speed rail trunk line’ model breaks logistics bottlenecks in high-altitude mountainous areas. AutoFlight will join forces with several partners to expand this efficient, green autonomous cargo model to more specialized agricultural producing areas,” said Li Yun, CCO of AutoFlight.
“This will help more local, high-quality agricultural products reach national markets quickly, which will drive regional industrial upgrading and rural revitalization.”
AutoFlight’s cargo aircraft have previously flown missions involving offshore platforms, intercity cargo and emergency firefighting support, showing how the technology is being tested beyond controlled demonstrations.
The company is also working on a six-seat passenger version, identified as the V2000EM Prosperity, which is undergoing airworthiness certification under Chinese aviation authorities.
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