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In October, Geely Technology Group, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, launched its Wuhan-based General Aviation Manufacturing Base, marking the official commission of what is said to be China’s first composite material automated production line for the manufacture of domestic general aviation aircraft. 

Specifically located in the Economic Development Zone of Wuhan City, the facility spans a total area of ​​267,000 square meters. It integrates R&D, production, assembly, testing and delivery of urban aerial vehicles, drones and other aviation products. According to the company, the automated production line addition is able to save more than 60% of labor costs compared with traditional manual aviation manufacturing lines, and can achieve an annual output of more than 1,000 composite industrial-grade drones with a wingspan of more than four meters.

“The Geely Aviation Manufacturing Base will make full use of Geely’s mature supply chain system, manufacturing system and abundant supplier resources to form obvious efficiency, quality and cost advantages,” says Xu Zhihao, CEO of Geely Technology Group. “We will transform and upgrade Wuhan’s industry.” 

Geely has been involved in the drone industry since 2017, when the group bought the U.S.-based flying car company Terrafugia Inc. (Woburn, Mass., U.S.), founded in 2006 by a team of five MIT graduates. In September 2020, Terrafugia announced its merger with Chinese drone developer AOSSCI to form Aerofugia Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. Geely also invested in Volocopter (Bruchsal, Germany) in September 2019. These acquisitions have provided Geely with a new aviation solutions in fields such as emergency rescue, aerial surveying and mapping. Its XC-25 double-headed dragon drone, for example, has participated in “721” Henan rainstorm rescue, Shenzhou 12, Chang’e 5 return cabin search and other missions.

Geely Technology’s aviation business is expected to continue to leverage its industrial advantages, cultivate Wuhan and jointly promote the high-quality development of China’s general aviation industry.