China has announced the development of a large tiltrotor drone capable of carrying up to 2 tons (4,400 pounds) of payload at a maximum speed of 340 miles (547 kilometers) per hour.
Dubbed the Lanying R6000, the United Aircraft-manufactured drone rolled out of its production facility in southeastern China for the first time earlier this week.
According to local reports, the 6-ton platform can support both manned and unmanned operations, accommodating up to 10 passengers.
It also boasts a maximum operational range of 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) and a cruising altitude of 25,000 feet (4.73 miles).
The Lanying R6000 concept was first unveiled at the Singapore Airshow in February, but its first fully-developed prototype is expected to debut at the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show next month.
Osprey-Like
The new Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is being compared to America’s V-22 Osprey aircraft due to its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability despite its heavy weight.
It also has significantly higher speeds than ordinary drones and helicopters – a capability only a modern aircraft like the Osprey possesses.
However, the Lanying R6000 has a far smaller carrying capacity than the Bell Boeing model, which can carry 24 passengers or up to 10,000 pounds (4,535 kilograms) of cargo.
With the advanced features of the Chinese UAV, reports note that the platform is highly difficult to produce and has a low assembly error tolerance.
Once deployed, the tiltrotor drone could support logistics, search and rescue, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.