JD Logistics announced on November 9, 2026, that it has opened a freight route for large drones in Xinjiang, in China's far west, linking Aksu prefecture with Yecheng. The company says this is the first time anyone in the Chinese express industry has used drones for feeder-line transport during the Singles Day sales period that peaks on November 11.
Until now, goods moving between the two places travelled by truck and had to be routed through the regional hub in Urumqi. That meant a road journey of roughly 2,730 km and, typically, three to four days from pickup to delivery. The drone flies a straight line of about 450 km, carries a maximum payload of 1.9 tonnes and completes the trip in around two and a half hours. JD Logistics says this almost doubles the speed of the service and makes next-day delivery possible on the lane.
The route is being run as a trial together with a Xinjiang operator that specialises in large unmanned aircraft. That operator runs nine general aviation airports in the region and holds approvals for nine dedicated drone routes. The two companies have worked together since July 2021, when they flew the first service on the Tiemenguan to Alar route, which the reports describe as China's first route set aside for large cargo drones. Parcels on that first flight belonged to JD Logistics.
Alongside the long-distance link, JD Logistics is scaling up small delivery drones at the village end of its network. In Zizhong county, Sichuan province, its drone service now reaches 131 administrative villages, with the quickest one-way flight taking seven minutes. The company describes this as the largest drone-to-village delivery network in China and says it has raised pickup efficiency by more than 30% while cutting delivery costs by more than 25%. Its own summary of the strategy is that big aircraft move tonnes on feeder routes while small drones bring individual parcels to the door.
For the peak season, JD Logistics also says its express air freight service for heavy goods covers close to 30,000 city-to-city lanes, of which more than 10,000 are next-day routes, with a promised on-time rate of 95%.
For logistics companies, distributors and regional governments looking at cargo drones, the Xinjiang project shows how Chinese operators are splitting the work between tonne-class aircraft on approved corridors and small drones for the last few kilometres. It also shows that the aircraft is only part of the purchase: airfields, route approvals, ground handling and a qualified operator decide whether a lane can actually run. Buyers should ask suppliers for payload and range figures at the altitude and temperatures they will fly in, and for clear terms on maintenance, spares and training. If you are comparing heavy-lift or delivery drones from Chinese manufacturers, our team can help you shortlist suppliers and plan the order.