A Chinese drone maker is preparing to mass produce a small, speedy six-tonne aircraft ideal for the “low-altitude economy”, whose value is expected to soar by 2030 with increases in aerial taxi trips and merchandise deliveries.
Shenzhen-based United Aircraft said on November 13 it had signed 1 billion yuan (US$138 million) in orders for its Lanying R6000 aircraft.
The aircraft’s tilt-rotors are designed for vertical, helicopter-style take-offs and landings in spaces as small as a rooftop, the company said. The R6000, boasting a chassis similar in shape to a small plane, will be able to fly as fast as 550km per hour (342 miles per hour) for distances up to 4,000km (2,485 miles).
Mass production will start early next year in the southwestern city of Chengdu, Hongxing News reported on Thursday. The local outlet said the billion yuan in agreed deals spans 10 buyers from multiple countries.
United Aircraft debuted the R6000 at a mid-November event, calling the unveiling an “important moment for China to showcase its technological innovation to the world”, the company website said. China historically sourced aircraft and parts from overseas with partners like Russia and the United States.
