China’s quest for dominance in all things unmanned aviation has taken it into the heavy-duty cargo drone space, where a Chinese company has tested what is claims is the world’s heaviest cargo drone.
Called the Norinco Luca, and also known as the Changying-8 (CY-8), the aircraft reportedly combines high payload capacity with short-runway performance, targeting logistics operations across remote, high-altitude, and island regions.
The aircraft completed its first test flight on Tuesday in Zhengzhou, in central China’s Henan province, taking off at 9:30 am from Zhengzhou Shangjie Airport and remained airborne for about 30 minutes before landing at the same site.
According to Norinco UAS, the drone's developer and a Beijing-based subsidiary of China North Industries Group Corp, engineers tested the model's flight control, avionics, electronic and power systems and were satisfied with how the drone responded.
In a news release, the manufacturer said that the entire flight had been controlled by the aircraft's intelligent systems and monitored by human controllers.
The Norinco Luca is 17 meters long with a wingspan of 25 meters, and has a takeoff weight of 7 metric tons.
The drone has a maximum payload capacity of 3.5 tonnes, equivalent to the total weight of 50 adults. It can carry over 1,700 cotton coats or 700 disaster-relief tents in a single trip, delivering supplies over long distances.
It has a maximum range of more than 3,000 kilometers, can take off and land on runways shorter than 500 meters and can use poorly conditioned airports, such as those on plateaus and islands.
The aircraft includes both front and rear access doors, allowing faster turnaround during loading and unloading operations.
CCTV described the platform as an “unmanned aerial heavy truck.” The drone relies on twin turboprop engines and supports short take-off and landing operations.
This design allows it to operate on basic runways with limited infrastructure.
“This cargo drone is highly adaptable to its environment, uses twin turboprop engines, and has the ability to take off and land on simple runways in high-altitude areas, as well as perform short take-offs and landings,” said Cai Hangqing, chairman of Beijing Northern Changying UAV Technology, as reported by South China Morning Post.
Developers built the CY-8 to support both civilian and military roles. The drone can switch payload configurations quickly, making it suitable for a wide range of missions.
CCTV reported that operators can deploy it for emergency communications, weather modification, and electronic reconnaissance. It can also support logistics, disaster relief, and supply delivery in difficult terrain.
The drone’s design focuses heavily on high-altitude performance; it can operate in regions such as the Tibetan Plateau, where elevations range between 4,000 and 5,000 meters.
Engineers also optimized it for island operations, enabling use on short and simple airstrips. The CY-8 requires less than 500 meters for take-off and landing.
China’s latest drone arrives as competition intensifies in the heavy cargo UAV segment. Some of the competition is coming from within China itself, with other Chinese cargo drone projects are already in progress. Air White Whale, for instance, is developing the W5000, a larger 10-tonne-class cargo drone.
A scaled prototype recently completed its maiden flight.
China has also tested a heavy-lift unmanned helicopter, the Boying T1400. That platform targets operations from mountainous regions to maritime zones.
The United States is advancing similar systems, with California-based Sabrewing developed the RH-1-A Rhaegal cargo drone, which completed its first hover flight in 2022.
A larger variant is expected to reach a maximum take-off weight of 6.25 tonnes.
Unlike the CY-8, Sabrewing’s design uses vertical take-off and landing. This removes the need for runways and enables operations in confined spaces.
Meanwhile, the tests will continue for the CY-8, with the developer aiming to move toward full-scale production before the end of 2026.