Yunshan Ranch adopts an intensive farming model, and from now on it will be an integrated operation of harvesting and fertilizing.
That is to say, harvest once and fertilize once.
In the middle process, you can replenish fertilizer according to the situation, and just use propeller planes. The demand is not large...Using planes is mainly to spray pesticides and prevent pests.
But Cohen said that the founder of Huarong Company was a very talented person, and Chen Mo also decided to meet him and see his drone.
Large load-bearing drones, this is a drool-worthy market, as long as the technology is mature enough...
What is the concept of 1.5 tons load capacity?
The Volkswagen Lavida weighs 1.3 tons naked, which means it can lift a small car. For the sake of Cohen, Chen Mo contacted the other party, and the other party honestly said that the current drone technology is very immature.
…
A few days later, Chen Mo cut the prototypes brought by Lin Huarong, the founder of Huarong Company, and the other party.
This is an electric vertical take-off and landing drone with a modular design of functional components. It has four axes. It is similar to the Boeing drone. It feels like an enlarged version. The total cost is not as high as Chen Mo imagined. The current cost of a single aircraft is 3.67 million.
It’s only one piece. But if it is used in agriculture, it must be optimized and upgraded...
"Hello, Mr. Chen." Li Huarong was young, in his early thirties. Surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw Chen Mo.
"Hello." Chen Mo was still looking at the plane: "The maximum range is only 30 kilometers?"
This aircraft is just a stand, with a height of just over two meters using supports. The length should be about 15 meters. The width may be 17 meters... The dead weight, according to the other party, is 859 kilograms.
The maximum take-off weight has been tested and can carry 1.5 tons. Carrying more cargo is actually okay, but it will affect safety, especially safety.
"Flight time at full load, 21 minutes." Li Huarong is very proud of his drone. Although the aircraft data is not very good... this is true. But there are only a few companies in the world that can build such an aircraft...
But this aircraft is really unsafe. Since it was produced in March last year, and tested since then, it has been damaged 6 times. In terms of safety and reliability, it is really not that good. It costs several million to build, and this aircraft is crazy.
After falling down a few times, who can survive it?
"My ranch really needs an aircraft that can be used to supplement fertilizers and spray pesticides. But this thing of yours is too expensive." In order to reduce the weight of the aircraft, the aircraft uses a large amount of carbon fiber. In addition, the battery pack used by the aircraft is a set of
The battery is 1.3 million yuan.
The battery has a lifespan, and the so-called lifespan is the number of times it is charged and discharged.
The number of charging and discharging times of this battery pack is theoretically about 350 times.
One time is a 30-kilometer range, and the operating area on one charge is between 110 and 150 acres. Calculating the median price, it is 130 acres. The cost of the battery, and the investment price per acre for each fertilizer application is about 28.5 yuan.
It is much more expensive than using propeller aircraft. Moreover, propeller aircraft are cheaper and more reliable...
In actual operation, it may not be possible to complete 130 acres of field work every time it is charged.
If the cost per acre can be controlled within 20 yuan, Chen Mo will definitely invest in this project. But in that case, it probably won't be Chen Mo's turn to invest.
Li Huarong is a military fan and a second-generation rich man. Huarong’s drones are basically supported by his family with money, and they have cost hundreds of millions so far.
"The development prospects of large-load drones are very broad. They can not only be used in agriculture, but their main purpose is industry. Compared with car transportation, the transportation of such large-load drones is actually more cost-effective... isn't it?
"Li Huarong took out some data from Huarong's 1.5t drone and handed it to Chen Mo, smiling bitterly.
This project was supported by his father, but during this financial crisis, his father's company suffered heavy losses. When it comes to research and development, spending money is just like water...
The 1.5t UAV project is very difficult. We have invested several hundred million and just made a prototype, but it is still far from a mature technology.
Afterwards, the group found an open space for testing. It carried a load of 1.5 tons, flew for 23 minutes, and had a range of 31 kilometers.
This flight went relatively smoothly, but with the naked eye, I found that the wind blew several times during this period, and the flight attitude of the 1.5t drone was not quite right...the flight control system was not very good.
Overall, this aircraft greatly exceeded Chen Mo's expectations.
Li Huarong is preparing to put Huarong 1.5t into commercial operation. Only with income can he do better research and development.
During the test introduction, Chen Mo took Li Huarong and his team to the office and to the sand table of the ranch: "Yunshan Ranch will develop about 50,000 acres of land to grow pasture... I wonder if you understand this area of pasture planting.
?”
Li Huarong shook his head.
Supporting domestic enterprises in scientific research is also what Chen Mo wants to do.
Chen Mo can see the prospects of Huarong 1.5t, and also knows how difficult it is to produce a reliable drone with a load capacity of 1.5 tons...
This is not a small drone, with a load capacity of 1.5 tons, this is a big thing.
Chen Mo looked at the sand table at Yunshan Ranch for a long time: "How many shares can you give up? I'm talking about financing, not buying your shares."
Li Huarong was stunned for a moment: "Controlling rights."
That means you can give up more than 50% of your shares...
“How much can you invest?”
"How much funding do you want?"
"1 billion." Li Huarong was unsure, 1 billion... was too much: "I can give up the controlling stake. For 1 billion, I will give you 70% of the shares. And I guarantee that all funds will be used for product research and development and recruitment.
People come..."
Li Huarong may be a genius in research, but he is definitely not a business material. Otherwise, he would not have launched a 1.5t drone as his first project.
Chen Mo was stunned and looked at Cohen.
Cohen spread his hands. He had visited Huarong Company. The company was not big, it could be regarded as a 'workshop enterprise' at most, but it also had some core technologies.
The electric engines of their drones are made by themselves. The flight control system is also made by them... Because the aircraft is too big, the flight control systems currently available on the market cannot be installed on their aircraft.
The flight control system is very poorly done...
"You mean U.S. dollars?" Chen Mo thought Li Huarong had spoken loudly.
"RMB." Li Huarong shook his head and said with a smile. If you want Huarong 1.5t to mature, 1 billion yuan is not enough. Giving up 70% of the shares is equivalent to selling the company directly to Chen Mo, then the company belongs to Chen Mo.
1 billion has been invested... Either the project will die, or it will have to continue financing in the future. Their company is full of technology geeks, and no one understands company operations...
Although Huarong Company has produced a finished drone, in the eyes of knowledgeable people, this project is not mature at all. They also know this...
Let's put it this way.
Judging from the current situation, Huarong Company is dead and cannot be saved. If the Huarong 1.5t drone is to meet the technical specifications for mass production, the amount of money required is astronomical... Of course, if this project is completed
Well, for Li Huarong, even if he only holds 1% of the shares, his family's previous investment will definitely be returned several times.
Chen Mo is a layman and doesn't understand. But he knows one thing: everyone grabs good things...
No one is grabbing or investing, which means this thing is a big pit.
Although it has a payload of 1.5 tons, it only has a range of 30 kilometers on a single charge and a flight time of about 21 minutes, which is too frustrating.