By Berk Kutay Gokmen
ISTANBUL (AA) – China’s tandem-rotor unmanned helicopter, resembling the US Army’s Boeing Chinook CH-47 with its twin-rotor design, recently completed its maiden flight, South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday.
Produced by United Aircraft Technology, the T1400 heavy-lift helicopter drone successfully completed its first test flight last Thursday in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province in northeast China, according to the company.
T1400 can carry a maximum payload of 650 kg (1,430 lbs) and can remain up to 8 hours in flight. It boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 1,400 kg (3,090 lbs) and can reach speeds up to 180 km/h (112 mph).
Equipped with twin 130-kilowatt engines, the drone can also operate in extreme temperatures ranging from -40C to 55C (-40F-131F), and can reach a maximum ceiling of 6,500 meters (4 miles).
Marketed for civilian applications, the drone can be utilized in several areas, such as agricultural spraying and emergency rescue and relief operations, with its heavy-lift capacity and its all-weather, all-terrain operational profile.