Watch: China’s futuristic airship AS700 aces test flight over record-breaking bridge

China’s Xiangyun AS700, the country’s first domestically made crewed airship, has successfully completed a low-altitude flight over the rugged terrain of Guanling in Guizhou province, marking a big step in its airworthiness certification.

The flight, which reached an altitude of 1,200 metres, helped validate the airship’s performance in low-altitude conditions, with data collected during the mission confirming its suitability for varied operational scenarios, Chinese state media, CCTV said. The AS700 is capable of flying as high as 3,100 metres.

CCTV noted that the test will support enhancements to broaden the airship’s applications, with future roles envisioned in emergency response, aerial patrols, and specialised support missions.

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China's homegrown AS700 manned airship successfully completed its first flight over southwest China's Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, comprehensively verifying the airship's stability and safety in low-altitude flight environments over plateau areas, said the Aviation Industry… pic.twitter.com/MR03ljyHXv

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During the test flight, the airship also captured footage of the newly opened Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, which is reportedly the tallest suspension bridge in the world.

Although designed for civilian use, the AS700 is also expected to have military functions. A 2023 report by Ordnance Industry Science Technology, a Chinese defence publication, highlighted the airship’s surveillance potential, comparing it to satellite systems and suggesting it could carry electro-optical and infrared sensors, 360-degree radar, and precision-tracking capabilities.

The report pointed out that airships like the AS700 offer several operational advantages over drones and satellites, such as longer flight times, the ability to hover, lower noise levels, reduced radar and heat signatures, and significantly lower costs. These features make them ideal for continuous surveillance missions.

The airship can carry up to 10 passengers, including one pilot, and has a maximum range of 700 km and an endurance of 10 hours. It can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h and has a maximum takeoff weight of 4.15 tonnes. Its design includes “thrust-vector synchronous servocontrol technology,” allowing for vertical or short take-offs and landings.

Smarter and greener

Developed by the Special Aircraft Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the AS700 project began in 2018, with the first flight occurring in October 2022. Certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China followed in late 2023.

The institute, also responsible for developing the AG600 amphibious aircraft, is focusing on using the AS700 for transportation and exploration efforts, particularly in southwest China, to stimulate the region’s low-altitude aviation economy.

To improve safety, the AS700 uses helium—a non-flammable gas—instead of hydrogen. Pilot and instructor Lin Hong, a former fighter pilot, emphasized this safety feature during a recent media event in Guanling.

In a step toward greener aviation, the airship’s electric variant, the AS700D, completed its first scientific mission in February. Powered entirely by lithium batteries, it produces almost no emissions and significantly reduces flight noise, making it ideal for eco-sensitive missions like wildlife monitoring, environmental research, and communication relays in protected areas.

The AS700 has already set domestic records for range and flight duration. In August 2024, it flew nearly 1,000 km across three provinces—Hubei, Hunan, and Guangxi—in under 13 hours.