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.
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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.
“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.