The Norinco Luca. [Photo/The official news website of Taizhou]

The Norinco Luca, a large cargo drone assembled by Beifang Eagle (Taizhou) UAV Technology, based in Taizhou Bay New Area, East China's Zhejiang province, completed its maiden flight at Zhengzhou Shangjie Airport in Henan province on March 31.

The drone has a cargo capacity of 3.5 metric tons, a takeoff weight of 7 tons, and a range exceeding 3,000 kilometers. It is designed for multiple uses, including general cargo, cold chain logistics, and emergency supply transport. Its debut is further boosting the aerospace industry cluster in Taizhou Bay New Area.

According to Beifang Eagle (Taizhou)'s general manager, the company has coordinated with more than 20 local supporting enterprises, forming an integrated industrial chain covering manufacturing, components, and testing.

As the only provincial-level strategic platform that integrates both the aerospace and low-altitude economy sectors, Taizhou Bay New Area is developing the aerospace industry as a core emerging sector while optimizing its industrial layout, policies, and innovation platforms. By focusing on key enterprises and fostering collaboration between large, medium, and small businesses, the area continues to strengthen its aerospace ecosystem.

To date, the area has attracted 84 aerospace companies, with the total scale of the general aviation and low-altitude economy industry reaching approximately 18.8 billion yuan ($2.7 billion), forming a comprehensive aerospace ecosystem from manufacturing to services.