China-developed AS700D electric manned airship completes maiden flight

BEIJING -- 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.