Jiande Aviation Town. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Jiande Aviation Town is making steady progress in its general aviation achievements in recent years, local media outlets reported.

Its latest achievement was an unmanned helicopter prototype developed by Huayi Aviation Technology Co on March 11. The first of its kind ever developed in Hangzhou, the helicopter filled the industrial gap and pushed the local general aviation industry to an integrated pattern featuring culture and tourism, services, as well as manufacturing.

The helicopter, which weighs 600 kilograms, will be mainly used for rescue, disaster relief, and emergency logistics.

"The helicopter has a designed carrying capacity of 300 kg and can endure continued flights of 800 kilometers, which will enable the aircraft to reach out to remote areas," said Shao Yi, president of the company.

"If everything goes well, the helicopter is expected to enter the market as soon as the end of the year."

The helicopter has helped the company take the lead over its competitors through its independent design, research and development, as well as the use of select suitable materials for almost all of its components and parts.

"We have become an industrial leader," Shao said.

A number of other general aviation projects were also forging ahead steadily, such as a composite materials project developed by Deyi High-tech Co, which will be put into production in June and has inked orders worth 10 million yuan ($1.54 million).

"We are in busy negotiations with promising high-tech projects and once they are settled, our town will realize the full coverage of an industrial chain for general aviation," said Jiang Tao, an official at the town.