Chinese defense company Norinco created the perfect replacement for cargo planes (2 photos + 2 videos)
China is once again quietly proving that the future belongs to those who don't need lunch, sleep, or vacation pay. 
The Changying-8, a monstrous unmanned aerial vehicle from defense concern Norinco, completed its maiden flight in Henan Province. Drones are no longer just for reconnaissance or pizza delivery; they're ushering in a new era of logistics.
These figures inspire awe even in seasoned aviators: 17 meters long and a 25-meter wingspan. This giant's dimensions are comparable to those of a decent passenger jet, but there are no seats, no flight attendants, and no cockpit inside. All the useful space is devoted to cargo. The Changying-8 weighs 3.5 tons and can lift exactly the same amount. 
Of course, compared to the good old Mi-26, which can haul 20 tons at a time, the Chinese "newcomer" with its 3.5 tons looks like a courier on a scooter next to a semi-trailer. But don't laugh too soon. While a giant helicopter burns tons of fuel and requires a whole team of pilots to fly a measly 500 kilometers, this unmanned truck effortlessly "flaps its wings" for 3,000 kilometers each way.
The developers at Norinco clearly understood that cargo would need to be transported beyond Beijing's mirror terminals. A drone requires only a flight path shorter than 500 meters, making it ideal for operations in mountains, deserts, or remote islands.
Why pay a pilot, insure them, and build a complex life support system around them when there's a vehicle that simply flies from point A to point B with the efficiency of a Swiss watch?
Interestingly, by 2025, more than 1,081 companies and 3,623 types of UAVs were registered in China. So, the future has arrived much faster than we expected.
