Airship a new choice for low-altitude tourism

China' s independently developed AS700 airship successfully conducted its demonstration flight Aug. 1 in Jingmen City, Central China’s Hubei Province, pointing to a new possibility of low-altitude tourism.

During its demonstration flight over local tourist destinations, the large AS700 airship flew at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour at an altitude of 500 meters. “Passengers can enjoy a uniquely relaxing air journey at a moderate speed and an ideal altitude for sightseeing,” said Zhou Lei, chief designer of the AS700 airship project.

China's independently developed AS700 airship successfully conducts its demonstration flight Aug. 1 in Jingmen City, Central China’s Hubei Province. File photo

Developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Special Vehicle Research Institute, AS700 is a type of single-capsule manned airship with a maximum capacity of 10 people, including a pilot.

“We are exploring more application scenarios, and plan to build China’s first low-altitude airship tourism route,” Zhou added.

The airship successfully completed its first ferry flight in March this year. During that flight, the airship took off from Jingmen and landed smoothly at Jingzhou City after a flight of 106 minutes. It returned to Jingmen after a brief stay.

Adopting a single-capsule design with a single-point landing gear, the AS700 airship is expected to meet demand in air touring, emergency rescue, and urban services.

It has a maximum takeoff weight of 4,150 kilograms, a maximum flight range of 700 kilometers and a maximum flying time of 10 hours. It can carry up to 10 people at a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

The ferry flight verified the airship’s performance and tested the capabilities such as ground support and airspace coordination, paving the way for subsequent long-distance and long-time flights.

“This flight has completed all predetermined tasks, fully verifying the AS700’s air-ground communication, facility loading, and takeoff and landing capabilities in different locations. It further tested the support capabilities of the technical team,” Zhou said after the flight.

With the thrust vector control technology, the airship is able to take off and land vertically in narrow spaces, which will largely save operating costs as land is expensive, said Lin Hong, pilot of the flight.

The AS700 airship obtained a type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in December 2023, making it the country’s first civil airship that was independently developed and certified.

“Some large Chinese tourism platforms and 5A-level scenic spots have contacted us to seek cooperation,” said Du Wei, manager of the AS700 manned airship project.

Du said they have received about 20 intended orders, with the first airship scheduled for delivery by the end of this year.

The development team will take low-altitude sightseeing as a typical demonstration scenario for the airship, hoping to further expand its application to fields such as emergency rescue and urban public services, said Du.

Zhou said he believes that the AS700 airship will promote the development of tourist spots and attract more visitors, helping to boost a low-altitude economy. (Xinhua)