A Chinese Chinook-style unmanned helicopter capable of operating in extreme conditions – from the Himalayas to the South China Sea – has successfully completed its maiden flight, according to its maker.
The Boying T1400 heavy-lift tandem-rotor drone, developed by the privately owned United Aircraft Technology, is expected to significantly boost resupply capabilities to areas such as high-altitude regions and seas.
The aircraft, which superficially resembles the US Army’s Boeing Chinook CH-47 with its twin-rotor design, passed its first test flight last Thursday in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province in northeast China, the company said.
The T1400 has a maximum take-off weight of 1,400kg (3,090lbs) and a payload of up to 650kg (1,430lbs), carried inside the cabin or via an external sling load. Its maximum speed is 180km/h (112mph).
Powered by two 130-kilowatt engines, the T1400 can stay aloft for up to eight hours or carry a payload of up to 200kg (441lbs) over 900km (559 miles), enabling cross-regional logistics delivery and long-distance patrol missions, according to the manufacturer.
Workers assemble the Boying T1400 at the United Aircraft factory in Harbin, northeast China. The company estimates its production line could produce up to 1,000 units annually. Photo: Xinhua
“It addresses the key limitations of industrial-grade drones, such as limited payload and short flight duration … and is capable of carrying out cross-regional cargo delivery or wide-range inspection missions,” it said.
