Two tons of cargo

China tests the world’s largest cargo drone

The HH-100 cargo drone took off on its maiden flight back in June.(Bild: AVIC)

China has tested the world's largest cargo drone. The unmanned machine can carry two tons of goods, Chinese media reported.

The first flight on Sunday lasted 20 minutes. With a wingspan of around 16 meters and a height of 4.6 meters, the aircraft built by the state-funded company Tengden is slightly larger than the world's most popular light aircraft, the four-seater Cessna 172.

The government in Beijing is pushing ahead with the development of drones. They should be able to transport anything, including people. The country is already the world leader in drone production.

In June, the HH-100 drone (pictured above) took off on its maiden flight. The unmanned aircraft can transport 700 kilograms of freight up to a distance of 520 kilometers. The TP2000 cargo drone is due to take off on a test flight next year. It can transport two tons of payload over a distance of 2,000 kilometers.

Drones are already being used to transport fresh fruit from Hainan Island to the mainland, among other things. Last year, over 2000 companies were registered in China that were involved in the development of drones. The leading company is DJI, the largest drone manufacturer in the world.