Tianmu Mountain Laboratory, one of the ten major provincial laboratories, focuses on key areas of aerospace. At the beginning of the new year, the laboratory is developing the country's first mass-produced heavy-duty hydrogen-powered drone, aiming to seize a new opportunity in the low-altitude economy. Follow the "Innovative Zhejiang: Seeking the Force of 'Newness'" column to take a look.

At the beginning of the new year, the festive atmosphere is still strong in the city of Xinchang. At this time of year in previous years, Xu Weiqiang would have packed his bags to return to Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) to teach. But this year, the Tianmu Mountain Laboratory, where he works, has an important mission to complete in his hometown of Xinchang.

"This year marks the sixth year since we established our base in Xinchang," said Xu Weiqiang, head of the hydrogen-powered drone team at Tianmu Mountain Laboratory. "Our main goal for this year is to complete the development of the heavy-duty hydrogen-powered drone."

The prototype of the heavy-duty hydrogen-powered drone developed by Xu Weiqiang's team has taken its first flight test. Compared to the inspection drones previously developed, this drone's payload has been increased from 5 kilograms to 20 kilograms, making it a "powerlifter" among hydrogen-powered drones. Currently, in the domestic market, long-distance heavy-duty transportation in the low-altitude sector is mostly powered by pure electricity, and endurance is a common shortcoming. Their goal is to achieve an endurance of one hour.

Cheng Liang, the chief engineer of drone technology at Qingpeng Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd., said, "If we use hydrogen power to solve the endurance challenge, there will be significant improvements in areas such as forest fire prevention and material transportation."