Recently, Changyuan Agricultural Science and Technology Development (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. completed its first-ever agricultural drone transport of ducklings in the Lagu Terraced Field area of Sanmeng Township, Lvchun County, and Jiazhen Town, Honghe County, Yunnan Province.
This milestone marks a critical advancement for Changyuan Agricultural Science and Technology in integrating technology and intensive farmer cooperation models within terraced ecological farming, effectively solving the "last mile" challenge of livestock distribution in mountainous regions.
In the core area of the World Heritage-listed Hani Rice Terraces, characterized by steep mountains and deep valleys, the past practice of delivering agricultural supplies and ducklings on foot took over two hours per trip and suffered high loss rates. With support from the Changning District Science Commission and Jiangsu Road Subdistrict, and backed by DJI's drone technical team, the Shanghai-based company introduced aerial lifting and precision delivery to the Hani Terraces for the first time. The initial test flights reduced transport time to just a few minutes and significantly lowered duckling mortality rates.
Amid the mountains of Lagu Terraced Field area, a farming drone precisely delivered 2,000 weaned Ma ducks to designated farming points, safely reaching the hands of local farmers. This distribution covered 222 farming households in the Lagu area, including 16 households identified as monitored or at risk of falling back into poverty. All delivered ducklings are integrated into the "rice-fish-duck" comprehensive farming system spanning over 4,500 mu of terraced fields.
The crop residues left in the fields after harvest serve as natural feed for the ducks, reducing feeding costs while the ducks help with weeding, pest control, and fertilization through their activity, ultimately achieving "multiple uses of water, multiple harvests from one field" and delivering tangible income gains for farmers.
Previously, material distribution for terrace farming in Honghe and Lvchun counties relied entirely on manual transport through rugged mountain paths. The longest one-way trip exceeded two hours, with bumpy terrain frequently causing duckling injuries and fatalities from crowding. Huang Liqiong, a staff member at Changyuan Agricultural Science and Technology, noted that the company's cooperative model with farmers involves joint distribution of ducklings and technical guidance, with mature ducks collected by the company for unified recycling.
"The drone accessibility is a real convenience now. Despite the steep terrain, many farmers receive ducklings the same day and release them directly into the terraced farming areas, capitalizing on the optimal autumn breeding window," Huang explained. Local farmer Gao Lisuo expressed gratitude, saying, "Previously, going to town to trade poultry meant both transportation costs and hours of effort. Now they deliver to the village at no charge, and drones carry the ducklings, so no more manual hauling. This government support is truly remarkable."
Under the current pricing structure, ecological Ma ducks raised for at least five months are purchased back at 65 yuan per bird, with an additional 5 yuan per month for extended raising periods, incentivizing farmers to trade time for quality and quality for higher returns. Preliminary estimates suggest that this batch of ducklings distributed in the Lagu area will generate an average income increase of over 8,000 yuan per household.
By covering hundreds of farming households in the core terrace areas with a guaranteed buyback model, Changyuan Agricultural Science and Technology expects to effectively achieve "multiple harvests from one field and multi-link industrial connections." A company representative attributed the successful drone delivery in the Hani Terraces to ongoing resource support and platform development provided by Shanghai "family" backing under the Shanghai-Yunnan cooperation framework, given the company's status as a Changning District enterprise.
Looking ahead, Changyuan Agricultural Science and Technology plans to continue its roots in Honghe and Lvchun counties while expanding to surrounding areas, extending drone technology across the entire supply chain from agricultural material transport to mature duck collection. The company aims to pioneer an integrated model combining "low-altitude logistics, digital agriculture, and ecological farming," charting a distinctive development path for the thousand-year-old Hani Terraces that aligns heritage protection with rural revitalization, harmonizing technology and ecology through the dual empowerment of the low-altitude economy and eastern-western regional cooperation.