The Xiangyun AS700 airship Photo: Courtesy of the Special Vehicle Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China

China's independently developed manned airship, the Xiangyun AS700, has successfully completed its maiden flight at an altitude of 1,200 meters in Guanling, Southwest China's Guizhou Province, the Global Times learnt from the Special Vehicle Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the developer of the airship, on Monday. 

This marks the airship's first low-altitude flight in the region above 1,000 meters, thoroughly testing its stability and safety in highland low-altitude conditions, said a statement from the institute. 

Researchers collected key environmental and high-altitude data, confirming the airship's suitability for low-altitude operations in southwestern China and guiding future improvements for diverse applications, including emergency rescue and aerial monitoring, the statement added.

Zhao Jia'nan, a representative from the institute, said that Guanling's mountains and variable weather tested the airship's adaptability, while the environmental and high-altitude flight data collected during the flight will drive improvements and enhance its suitability for diverse applications.

"Although we've flown in other regions, Guanling's rugged terrain and variable weather posed new challenges. Meanwhile, the flights went smoothly and the reliable avionics and controls gave me great confidence in the airship's performance in complex mountains," said the AS700's pilot Lin Hong. 

The AS700 boasts a maximum range of 700 kilometers with a maximum flight endurance of 10 hours. Thanks to its unique thrust-vector synchronous servo control technology, it can take off and land over a short distance or vertically within a 150-meter diameter makeshift site. The airship also features helium buoyancy, dual-redundancy systems, and emergency jettison capabilities, ensuring safe operation even in challenging environments, researchers said.