United Aircraft, Shenzhen-based manufacturer of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), is seeking international partners for its tilt-rotor UAV (R6000) that will be unveiled to the public at Airshow China in Zhuhai this November.
The private Chinese aviation company, which marked its debut at the recent Farnborough Airshow by showcasing a range of its products, is optimistic about the market prospects of the UAV that is designed to carry both cargo and passengers.
“The tilt-rotor UAV combines the advantages of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters; it is a game-changing product,” says Xiaoyue Zhou, United Aircraft Public Relations Director. “It is capable of transporting cargo or 7-10 passengers. The research and development phase of the UAV is over and we are now manufacturing the aircraft. We would like to tie up with international companies for the joint production and marketing of the UAV. We are now in discussions with a few potential partners, but it is too early to talk about it.”
The gasoline-powered long-range UAV, which has a maximum range of 4,000 km and a cruising range of up to 1500 kilometres, has twice the speed of a helicopter and is designed for inter-city and inter-provincial travel. The foldable drone will occupy only a big bus parking space. R6000 has a maximum take-off weight of 6100 kg, maximum payload capacity of 2000kg, maximum speed of 550 km/h, a service ceiling of 7620 metres, and a hovering ceiling of 2000 meters.
The R6000 is a “private car in the sky,” says Zhou. “I would call urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles flying motorcycles; they can fly only about 350 km while we have a much longer range. The R6000 is a flying car. The Chinese government has put a lot of effort in expanding low altitude economy (below 3,000 feet.) We have government support; our company has the backing of several local governments. Some of our UAVs are in use in other countries as well.”
Other products: At Farnborough, the company also showcased the TD550 unmanned helicopter, which has a load capacity of up to 200 kilograms and a maximum endurance of 8 hours. “This year, we had floods in China and the TD550 was extensively used,” says Zhou. “It is now an optimal choice for emergency rescue and material transportation. Its performance is particularly outstanding in high-altitude and extreme conditions. It can fly for 8 hours with a payload of 35 kg and for 2 hours with payload of 200 kg. The TD550 has successfully completed firefighting and emergency supply delivery missions in Beijing, Anhui, Heilongjiang, and other regions.”
The Lei Ying Q20 quadcopter drone, which is extensively used for low-altitude logistics and public security inspections, has a maximum endurance of 73 minutes and 10-kilogram load capacity. The drone also has advanced six-direction obstacle avoidance technology. The Q20 is used to carry various payloads such as electro-optical pods, logistics boxes, and loudspeakers, and can execute multiple tasks in a single flight. Also showcased at the biennial event were two agricultural drones, the Q100 and T1200, which form the “agricultural trio” along with the Q20. These drones are designed to operate in various scenarios, including fields, orchards and fish farming.
In July this year, the company hit the headlines by successfully conducting a formation flight of 20 Q20 drones to transport “Wushan Crisp Plums” from orchards to the mountaintop airport in Chongqing. The operation overcame a 1200-meter altitude difference and reduced the two-hour land transport time to a mere seven minutes.
According to the company website, United Aircraft provides UAVs and smart unmanned solutions for governmental, military, and commercial customers. Its products have been used for national defence construction, logistic transportation, customs anti-smuggling, police law enforcement, powerline patrol, geological exploration, emergency rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as agriculture, forestry, and plant protection.
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