A new model of commercial unmanned aerial system (UAS) independently developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has entered its maiden flight phase. The HH-100 large cargo multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), HH-100, has recently completed its last high-speed automatic taxiing test, said AVIC, the country’s leading aircraft manufacturer. It performed stably during the test, and its automatic taxiing control capabilities were working well, the developer said. It has now entered its maiden flight phase. During the test, an HH-100 prototype taxied at a high speed on a runway and then slightly lifted its nose wheel, verifying the model’s autonomous taxiing control system. The model’s taxiing test phase started in early March at Beichuan Yongchang Airport.
HH-100 was independently developed by AVIC XAC Commercial Aircraft Co., Ltd. in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. HH-100 is the latest freight drone model to have emerged as a result of the nation’s flourishing express delivery industry and the government’s efforts to make full use of China’s low-altitude airspace. It has a designed maximum take-off weight of 2,000 kilograms, a payload capacity of 700 kilograms and a full-weight range of 520 kilometers. The twin-engine model has been designed with a maximum cruising speed of 300 km per hour and a ceiling altitude of 5,000 meters. The drone’s low procurement, operation, and maintenance costs, coupled with its high payload capacity and domestically sourced components, make it an attractive option for various industries.
The large cargo multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle has two major parts: the unmanned aerial vehicle and the ground command-and-control station. HH-100 can carry out various missions, such as regional logistics, forest and grassland firefighting, fire monitoring, disaster-relief supply delivery, relay communication and artificial precipitation. The commercial UAS has low costs, high payload and other advantages. the drone will be capable of serving a wide range of businesses, including short-range cargo transportation, fire monitoring and suppression, delivery of emergency supplies and cloud seeding. The drone features many advantages such as low costs in procurement, operations and maintenance, and a high payload capacity.
In addition to the HH-100, AVIC has designed and tested several cargo drone models. The largest of them, the TP2000, will be able to carry up to 2 metric tons of cargo and will have a flight radius of 2,000 km. It is expected to conduct its maiden flight next year. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is a Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Beijing. AVIC is overseen by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. AVIC is also the sixth largest defense contractor globally and second largest Chinese defense contractor with total revenue of $79 billion (from both defense and non-defense services).
