Chinese JD.com will build the largest Chinese logistics network for drones after reaching a deal with the Shaanxi province’s board. Some drones should even be able to carry 1,000 kilos.
300 kilometer radius
The network will consist of hundreds of routes and drone stations, which will create a network with a 300 kilometer radius. The goal is to reach remote areas and cities rather easily. “JD.com will be the first in the world to test drone delivery on this scale. We envision a network that will be able to efficiently transport goods between cities, and even between provinces, in the future,” said Wang Zhenhui, CEO of JD Logistics, the company’s newly-formed logistics business group.
The company will also build a campus, together with the Xian National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base, to help design, manufacture and test unmanned systems. It will be the first of its kind in China and will also be JD Logistics’ main office at the same time.
Back in 2007, JD.com started creating its own logistics network to service its more than 236 million customers. It felt the Chinese infrastructure was insufficient to ship and deliver at a fast rate. Currently, it has more than 65,000 employees, purely for its logistics.
