Chinese engineers fly world’s first large transport drone

China cargo drone AT20 completed its test flight in North China’s Shaanxi Province On Thursday, according to local media.

The People's Daily China reported that the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics (IET) of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) announced  it cooperated with other institutes to make the world’s first civilian cargo drone that has a payload of 1.5 tons

The drone is 11.84 meters long and 4.04 meters high, and it has a wingspan of 12.8 meters. It has a maximum take-off weight of 3.4 tons and a hold capacity of 10 cubic meters.

With the help of advanced ground-control and automated flight devices, the drone is expected to help express delivery companies lower the cost of transporting goods and operate drone services more easily.

The cargo drone will be used for technological demonstrations and the civil aviation authorities’ certification process and then will be put into commercial operation.