China's largest cargo drone goes airborne

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World Defense & Security News - China
 
 
China's largest cargo drone goes airborne
 
China's heaviest cargo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) completed its maiden flight in northwest China's Shaanxi Province Thursday. This unmanned freight aircraft, named AT200, was co-developed by the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other institutes.
     
China largest cargo drone goes airborne 640 001China's heaviest cargo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) AT200 flies during its maiden flight in Neifu Airport in Pucheng, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 26, 2017
(Credit: Zhang Zhihao/China Daily)
     
The AT200 performed well in the 26-minute test flight in Pucheng, Northwest China's Shaanxi provinceon, on Thursday.

With a maximum take-off weight of around 3.4 tonnes and a payload of 1.5 tonnes, the AT200 could be one of the world's most powerful civilian UAVs, according to the institute.

Developed on a P750XL utility aircraft, the UAV has a maximum flying speed of 313 km per hour, a flight range of 2,183 kilometers and a 6,098-meter service ceiling.

Taking off and landing can be automatically completed within 200 meters.

It could be used to conduct freight transport in mountainous regions and on islands, according to the institute.

The research and development team said they are working to put AT200 into commercial operation soon.

     
China largest cargo drone goes airborne 640 002China's heaviest cargo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) AT200 flies during its maiden flight in Neifu Airport in Pucheng, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 26, 2017
(Credit: Zhang Zhihao/China Daily)