Beijing buyout firm Everpine Capital in deal to bring cargo drones to China
By investing in Czech Republic-based light-aircraft maker, Everpine seeks to drastically lower costs of cargo traffic, especially in China’s mountainous regions
Jerry Lou, founding partner of Beijing-based but global buyout fund Everpine Capital, sees drones as more than just a tool for parcel dispatch for online shoppers; or expensive toys for deep-pocket enthusiasts.
In two years’ time, he envisages them to have become integral parts of the cargo industry, able to carry as much as 500 kilograms of goods such as food or medical supplies, for instance, to inaccessible, mountainous regions of China.
Everpine is currently in the process of finalising a controlling-stake investment in Distar Air, a Czech Republic company that designs “Samba” light aircraft.
He and other partners in his fund plan to convert two-seat Samba light touring aircraft into drones capable of reaching even the highlands of Tibet, Xinjiang and Qinghai provinces – traditionally challenging for land traffic.
Post acquisition, the fund will invest further in applying and commercialising the technology in the Chinese market, which should deliver solid returns to Everpine’s investors.
He is confident the ultimate cost of running the company’s planned cargo-drones will be “the same as running a truck”.