Audeinces watch demonstration flight of AS700 airship at the delivery ceremony held in Taicang, East China's Jiangsu Province, on December 30, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of the Special Vehicle Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corp of China

China's domestically developed AS700 "Xiangyun" manned airship on Tuesday obtained the country's first production certificate (PC) for a homegrown manned airship, marking a major breakthrough in China's low-altitude aviation sector. 

On the same day, a newly built AS700 was delivered to the Taicang Cultural Tourism Group, representing the first delivery following approval for mass production, the airship's developer told the Global Times.

During the delivery ceremony, a white AS700 airship, developed by the Special Vehicle Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corp of China, slowly ascended into the clear skies above the Zhanghe River in Taicang, East China's Jiangsu Province, completing a series of smooth demonstration flights. Notably, the delivered airship is the first AS700 to enter commercial operation after receiving China's inaugural manned airship PC certificate.

The milestone represents a key step in building China's low-altitude economy product system, laying a solid foundation for the large-scale delivery and commercial operation of domestically produced manned airships, the research institute told the Global Times, adding that with the PC certificate in place, the AS700 can now be manufactured swiftly in accordance with required standards and delivered to customers efficiently.

At the event, the research institute signed an additional AS700 purchase agreement with the Taicang Cultural Tourism Group and unveiled its "One City, One Airship" initiative. The initiative aims to introduce airship sightseeing services to cities across China, unlocking new consumption scenarios in the cultural tourism sector, according to the research institute. 

Measuring 50 meters in length, with a maximum range of 700 kilometers, the AS700 can carry up to 10 passengers, and the developer said the model has so far secured 42 orders as of now.

Since 2024, the AS700 team has completed more than 187 test flights across multiple application scenarios, logging a total of 602 hours of safe flight. A comprehensive quality control system has been established, covering raw material procurement, component manufacturing, final assembly and factory inspections, demonstrating the core capabilities needed for industrial-scale deployment, said the research institute. 

Through the industrialization of the AS700 airship, China has for the first time established a complete manned airship ecosystem spanning research and development, manufacturing, testing, flight operation and service support. The AS700 airship project has helped cultivate a specialized professional workforce, providing critical support for the AS700's entry into China's trillion-yuan low-altitude economy market, according to the research institute. 

Global Times