A VTOL drone took an hour to deliver 20 kilograms of seafood from Zhoushan to Shanghai. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

A drone recently took an hour to transport 20 kilograms of seafood over a distance of about 200 kilometers from Dinghai district in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, to Jinshan district in Shanghai, local media reported.

This is the first time in China a vertical take-off and landing drone with fixed wings has been used to deliver goods between islands since the country approved 13 test bases for civil unmanned aircraft in late 2020.

The drone operating the flight was developed by Shanghai Autoflight Co Ltd.

"The VTOL drone is easy to operate between islands as such an aircraft has no need for a runway or airport," said a staff member from Autoflight.

The VTOL aircraft has long endurance, a large load capacity, sophisticated flight control and avionics systems, as well as Level 7 wind resistance, all of which ensures a safe long-distance flight, according to the staff member.

The cost for the flight from Dinghai to Jinshan ranges between 60 yuan ($9.27) to 80 yuan. Using the V400 Albatross model developed by Autoflight would allow for a load of 100 kg and further reduced costs.

"The successful flight means that coastal residents in the Yangtze River Delta can savor the fresh seafood caught in Zhoushan in just a few hours in the near future," said Tang Weibin, deputy general manager of East China UVA Base in Jinshan.

Tang added that the base will be deepening cooperation with Dinghai in the commercial operation of drone logistics.