China's first test flight success of maritime reconnaissance drone helicopter... "Also for South China Sea maritime surveillance"

Small Warships and Civilian Vessels Deployable... Operable for 4 Hours at a Time
Previously Developed High-Altitude UAV Helicopter for India Border Surveillance

[Image source=China Aviation Industry Corporation website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] China announced that it has successfully completed the first test flight of its domestically developed maritime reconnaissance unmanned helicopter. Developed by the state-owned China Aviation Industry Corporation, this unmanned helicopter is expected to be deployed in the South China Sea, where China is currently in dispute with the United States, to monitor coastlines and U.S. military vessels. China Aviation Industry Corporation has been accelerating its drone development efforts, including producing unmanned helicopters for high-altitude regions to be deployed for surveillance along the border areas with India.

According to the state-run Global Times, on the 8th, the state-owned China Aviation Industry Corporation announced that China's first maritime unmanned helicopter, the AR-500B, successfully completed a 30-minute test flight on the 27th of last month in Jiangxi Province, eastern China. The corporation stated that with the success of this test flight, China will be able to compensate for the shortage of maritime unmanned aerial vehicles.

The AR-500B can fly at a maximum speed of 140 km/h up to an altitude of 4,000 meters, with a maximum takeoff weight of 500 kg and a maximum payload of 70 kg. It is known to be usable for various target surveillance and maritime transportation tasks. Its operational range reaches approximately 100 km, and it can fly for up to 4 hours at a time. It can also be mounted on small corvette-class ships and civilian vessels, making it versatile for reconnaissance purposes.

The AR-500B is scheduled to be deployed for coastal patrol and warship surveillance in the South China Sea and East China Sea. China Aviation Industry Corporation stated that the fuel system, structure, electronic devices, and avionics systems were designed to withstand moisture, mold, and seawater. It is expected to mainly monitor the movements of U.S. vessels in the South China Sea, where disputes with the U.S. are ongoing.

Previously, the Chinese military used small "quadcopter" drones on coastal patrol boats, but with the development of the AR-500B, it is expected to expand surveillance coverage and reduce response times in reconnaissance, search, and rescue operations, according to the Global Times.

China has recently been accelerating the development of unmanned aerial vehicles to effectively monitor its vast border areas. In September, China Aviation Industry Corporation announced that it had developed and successfully test-flown the AR-500C unmanned helicopter, which can be deployed in the western plateau region involved in border disputes with India.