Exciting news from China as the AS700D electric airship completed its maiden flight on Friday, marking a significant achievement in green aviation! 🚀
The flight took place in Jingmen, central China's Hubei Province, where the airship gracefully took off vertically, climbed to 50 meters, hovered briefly, and then landed smoothly. Lin Hong, the pilot of the AS700D, shared his experience, saying, \"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.\" 🛫✨
Developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)'s Special Vehicle Research Institute, the AS700D is a groundbreaking all-electric airship. Unlike its predecessor, the AS700, which runs on aviation gasoline, the AS700D uses an advanced lithium-battery electric drive system. This upgrade not only reduces emissions but also lowers noise levels, making it perfect for sensitive environments like nature reserves and large-scale events such as concerts and marathons. 🌍🔋
Chief designer Zhou Lei highlighted, \"The AS700D airship uses lithium-battery power, marking a major change that allows it to produce near-zero emissions and lower noise levels during flight.\" With a maximum flight altitude of 3,100 meters and a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the AS700D can carry up to 10 people, including the pilot.
Beyond sightseeing, the AS700D is versatile, capable of aerial photography, security monitoring, traffic command, and communication relay. Its safety and stability make it an ideal choice for urban security and emergency rescue missions in the growing low-altitude economy.
Zhang Lixian from AVIC emphasized the importance of this innovation, stating, \"With increasing concerns over environmental protection, it is necessary for the aviation industry to undergo a green transformation. We will advance the application of sci-tech achievements in green aviation by cultivating the AS700 series of manned airships and other key projects.\" 🌱✈️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
