The Qingdao Hongbaichuan Metal Precision Products Co and Tianjin Shuguang Jingye Science Co signed a contract for partnership on manufacturing unmanned helicopters on June 30, according to Qingdao Morning News.

Jiang Tao, general manager of Hongbaichuan in Qingdao, said that the company, currently possessing 26 patents and 30 more patents to be granted, will focus on advanced unmanned helicopter manufacturing and application to facilitate oceanic surveying and mapping, mountain rescue, disaster prevention, atmospheric monitoring and aerial photography. The company will launch a mass manufacturing process covering six kinds of aircrafts on July 1.

"The company's annual yield is expected to reach 1,000 with the promising market," said Zhao Shuguang, a designer at Shuguang Jingye Science Company.

The price of each bare machine ranges from 50,000 yuan ($8,155) to 200,000 yuan. One unmanned helicopter would top at 200 million yuan if equipped with extra high-end facilities.

Edited by Michael Thai, Li Xiaoliang and Gao Yuan