BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) — China’s AS700D electric manned airship completed a successful maiden flight on Friday, marking a major breakthrough for the country in green aviation equipment in the low-altitude economy sector, announced the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the developer of the airship.
The milestone verified the technical maturity and principles of China’s independently-developed AS700D, providing technical reserve for the development of subsequent electric airships, said the AVIC.
The AS700D carried out the maiden flight on Friday morning in Jingmen, central China’s Hubei Province.
It conducted a vertical takeoff and then quickly climbed to an altitude of 50 meters. After briefly hovering, it performed a vertical landing and then stopped steadily.
“The flight of the electric airship feels lighter and smoother, just like driving new energy cars. It operates quietly, and both the piloting and riding experiences are more comfortable,” said the AS700D maiden-flight pilot Lin Hong.
Developed by the Special Vehicle Research Institute under the AVIC, the AS700D is a new type of all-electric airship with a comprehensive electrification upgrade based on the AS700 manned airship, which uses aviation gasoline as fuel.
It utilizes an advanced lithium-battery electric drive system, propeller system, thrust-vector control system and cooling system to replace the aero-engine and fuel system.
“The AS700D airship uses lithium-battery power, marking a major change that allows it to produce near-zero emissions and lower noise levels during flight,” said Zhou Lei, chief designer of the AS700D.
The AS700D is suited to missions in areas with relatively stringent requirements for noise, emissions, and takeoff and landing conditions, such as nature reserves and other ecologically sensitive areas, as well as missions involving concerts, marathons or other large-scale events, according to Zhou.
The AS700D has a designed maximum flight altitude of 3,100 meters and a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. It can carry up to 10 people, including the pilot, according to its developer.
The airship can carry out diverse tasks such as aerial photography, security monitoring, traffic command and communication relay.
Thanks to its safety and stability, it is ideal for low-altitude sightseeing, aerial advertising, urban security, emergency rescue, and other application scenarios in the low-altitude economy.
“With increasing concerns over environmental protection, it is necessary for the aviation industry to undergo a green transformation. We will advance the application of sci-tech achievements in green aviation by cultivating the AS700 series of manned airships and other key projects,” said Zhang Lixian, an official of the AVIC Special Vehicle Research Institute. ■
China’s AS700D electric manned airship is pictured before its maiden flight in Jingmen, central China’s Hubei Province, Feb. 21, 2025. China’s AS700D electric manned airship completed a successful maiden flight on Friday, marking a major breakthrough for the country in green aviation equipment in the low-altitude economy sector, announced the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the developer of the airship. (AVIC/Handout via Xinhua)
