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Source: Global Times

[Global Times reporter Fan Wei] A Global Times reporter learned from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (hereinafter referred to as "AVIC") on August 2 that on August 1, the "Xiangyun" AS700 manned airship independently developed by the Aviation Industry Special Flight Institute successfully completed its first low-altitude tourism application scenario demonstration flight in Jingmen, Hubei. At a time when the low-altitude economy is welcoming a period of development opportunities, this type of manned airship will provide strong support for pilot demonstrations of low-altitude application scenarios such as sightseeing tourism and aerial experience, and help build the country's first airship low-altitude tourism demonstration line.

According to a Global Times reporter, the AS700 manned airship is the first modern manned airship in China developed by the Aviation Industry Special Aircraft Institute. This type of manned airship has introduced advanced design concepts in the aviation field based on the design idea of ​​"one boat, multiple types, and series development" based on the domestic and international low-altitude tourism market demand. It has the characteristics of lightweight and low-cost structural design, high-safety redundancy design, excellent driving experience and high-comfort riding experience, low requirements for take-off and landing sites, and can achieve short-distance and vertical take-off and landing.

"Xiangyun" AS700 manned airship

The AS700 manned airship adopts a conventional single-bladder layout and a streamlined airbag shape. It has a maximum take-off weight of 4,150 kg, a maximum range of 700 kilometers, a maximum flight time of 10 hours, and can carry up to 10 people including a pilot. The airbag part of this type of airship adopts high-strength, low-leakage, low-temperature-resistant, and anti-aging non-metallic multi-layer composite materials, which greatly improves the stability of the main structure of the airship. At the same time, the airship uses inert gas "helium" as the buoyancy gas, and is equipped with helium emergency release and ballast water emergency throwing functions. In emergency situations such as complete loss of power or control system failure, it can not only ensure the slow landing of the airship, but also assist in controlling the lift of the airship by controlling the thrust vector steering angle. Multiple safety facilities provide all-round protection for the safety of the AS700.

The AS700 manned airship also uses a modern integrated avionics system and fly-by-wire sidestick control design, can fly visually, is fully equipped with communication and navigation equipment, and has basic instrument flight capabilities. Large viewing side windows are set on both sides of the cabin. During the sightseeing flight, the cabin crew can take in the beautiful scenery outside the cabin through the large viewing side windows of the cabin, or overlook the scenery below from the air, "unlocking" a new cloud sightseeing experience.

Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of "Aviation Knowledge", said in an interview with the "Global Times" on August 2 that the history of human development of airships can be traced back to the 19th century. Now that the low-altitude economy has been vigorously developed, airships have found their place again.

"As an aircraft, airships have some special advantages, such as being economical and energy-efficient. They can take off by inflating airbags. The energy required during the flight can also be provided by electric motors or small fuel engines, so the cost of use is relatively low," said Wang Yanan.

Wang Yanan said that in the international market, there are already airships used for sightseeing in Europe, with a passenger capacity of about 10 people. According to the Global Times reporter, there are no similar competitive products in China. Compared with similar international airships, the AS700 manned airship has a lower price per seat, is autonomous and controllable, and has convenient and stable customer service, with obvious competitive advantages.

This type of airship is mainly used for aerial tours, and in the future it will be able to realize multi-scenario applications such as "low altitude + transportation logistics", "low altitude + intelligent surveying and mapping", "low altitude + emergency rescue", and "low altitude + urban security".

It is understood that the AS700 manned airship successfully obtained the model license at the end of 2023 and has been included in the national first major technical equipment promotion and application guidance catalog. So far, about 20 intention orders have been received, and the first airship is scheduled to be delivered at the end of this year.