By LU Keyan

Drone maker DJI has unveiled the freight drone Fly Cart 30 (FC30), product of years of development.

The drone-delivery market holds immense promise, as demonstrated this year by companies like Meituan and SF Express making drone deliveries in Shanghai and Shenzhen. However, due to the nascent legal framework, widespread implementation is a long way off. 

Notably, the drone has been adopted by a mountain attraction in East China for the transportation of essentials, construction materials, and waste on and off the mountain. Compared to manual hauling, this solution not only slashes costs but is much more effective. The regulatory difficulties of flying a drone in a megacity are huge, but rural and industrial applications may be fertile landing ground for cargo drones.  

Using two onboard batteries, the FC30 can carry 30 kilograms in a 70-liter container for 16 kilometers at altitudes of up to 6000 meters.

It is equipped with intelligent obstacle avoidance technology and a parachute system. The standard set comes at a price of 125,000 yuan (US$17,000).