CHONGQING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Akin to a roller coaster, a small truck packed with 200 kg of freshly picked navel oranges zigzags on rail tracks laid above the gently rolling terrain of an orchard in Fengjie County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Zhang Yong, owner of the orchard, steered the truck from its driving seat as the 4-wheeled vehicle continued moving toward a warehouse nearby upon completing its run on the 96-meter-long tracks.

Jumping off the truck, Zhang continued to demonstrate its driverless mode. One can easily start the truck, reverse the vehicle and apply brakes by simply pressing the relevant button on the remote controller, he said.

Thousands of people in Fengjie grow navel oranges and other citrus crops to earn a living. The county is home to over 24,000 hectares of citrus land, generating over 3 billion yuan (about 45.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue every year.

Zhang, who has been planting navel oranges for ten years in the county, deems the transport system a blessing. "In the past, we needed at least four people to carry the oranges on their shoulders or back. This transporter has made things much easier," he said.

The transporting system was invented by Zhang Runfu, 45, a native of Fengjie who is an entrepreneur and an automation expert.

During the Spring Festival holiday last year, Zhang Runfu came back from Guangdong Province to visit his family and got stranded due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Wandering in the orchards of his hometown, he was astonished by the farmers' primitive, sweaty way of transporting fertilizers and oranges.

"I thought to myself, how about creating a more convenient transportation for them using my own expertise?" he recalled. Within a month, a 3D model of the "roller coaster" transportation system was completed, followed by prototypes of a truck and tracks.

Zhang Yong's orchard was chosen as a pilot zone and the following months saw repeated tests involving the truck's speed, brakes and other technical performances.

"The transporter has been proven capable of adapting to the hilly fields," said Zhang Runfu, adding that it can bear heavy loads without occupying much space.

The transporting system officially began operations last November. And as the news spread, requests for cooperation from locals as well as people from other areas poured in. The inventor has planned to install the system in two neighboring villages this year, with the tracks stretching some 2 km and 8 km, respectively. A total of 11 transporters will also be delivered to them.

The invention has not only changed the lives of orange farmers in Fengjie but also prompted Zhang to stay back in his hometown after spending more than two decades outside. He has registered a local company, applied for patents and set up a professional team to optimize the system. Meanwhile, he has also made the transporter available for display to visitors, just like a real roller coaster.

Zhang's business in Guangdong was to develop automation technologies for urban factories, but now he's seen vast potential in rural areas. "I should bring back what I've learned and contribute to the development of my hometown," he said.

According to the entrepreneur, the transporter is just a start for his new career. "I also intend to develop an app blending live streaming and e-commerce. Customers can adopt a navel orange tree to witness its growth, as well as directly place orders of oranges online," Zhang said. Enditem