China's first homegrown large, unmanned cargo plane completes test flight for airworthiness certification

(ECNS) -- China’s first homegrown large, unmanned cargo plane TP500 has successfully completed its first test flight for airworthiness certification, according to Yantai's Huangbohai New Area on Thursday.

Designed mainly for regional air cargo logistics, the TP500 has a standard payload capacity of 500 kilograms, with a maximum range of 1,800 kilometers.

The test flight marks the final stage of the aircraft's approval process, with more than 150 additional flights planned over the next 10 months, before certification and production license approval from China’s Civil Aviation Administration .

Jin Ge, general manager of Yitong UAV System Co., Ltd., stated that most China’s logistics companies rely heavily on passenger planes for air freight, limiting efficiency and coverage.

He believes that the introduction of unmanned transport aircraft like the TP500 will fill the gap in regional air freight, cut logistics costs, and boost transportation efficiency.

To date, Yitong has signed intention orders for 286 TP500 units with clients, including China’s ZTO Express and SF Express, according to Jin.