(ECNS) — China's Tianma-1000 unmanned cargo aircraft has completed its maiden flight, a step forward in developing large-capacity drones for high-altitude and complex-terrain operations.

Developed by China North Industries Group Corporation, the Tianma-1000 is the country's first low- to mid-cost, domestically developed transport drone and its first large-payload unmanned aircraft adapted to high-altitude environments.

With a service ceiling of 8,000 meters, a maximum range of 1,800 kilometers, and a payload capacity of one metric ton, the drone is designed for demanding supply missions, according to the developer.

Chief designer Sun Zhiwei said the aircraft can deliver large quantities of supplies within half a day to areas difficult to reach by road or rail, making it well-suited for plateau regions, mountainous areas and other remote locations.

In emergency situations such as natural disasters, a single Tianma-1000 sortie can deliver food, medicine, and equipment to sustain survivors for several days, rapidly establishing an "airborne lifeline" to affected areas, Sun said.

The aircraft is also expected to play a role in logistics support. China has a land border and coastline stretching about 40,000 kilometers, with many remote outposts located in plateaus, mountains and islands where conventional transport faces significant challenges.

According to the developer, the Tianma-1000 features an innovative real-time attitude fault-tolerant system that enables it to autonomously identify and avoid obstacles such as mountainous terrain and maintain flight stability under strong crosswinds and turbulent airflow.

The research team also overcame technical challenges related to flight control in complex plateau airflows and integrated optical guidance and assisted takeoff and landing systems, reducing the required runway distance to less than 200 meters. The drone can operate from non-paved surfaces such as grasslands and dirt roads, with its intelligent loading system capable of handling tonne-level cargo within five minutes.

(By Evelyn)