High-tech drones displayed at China's aviation exhibition

An exhibition in Beijing, part of the second China Air Transport Association (CATA) Aviation Conference, showcased a range of impressive high-tech drones.

China's drone industry is developing rapidly, with the number of registered drones nearing 2.05 million as of September 2024. By 2025, the output value of the country's civilian drones is expected to exceed 200 billion yuan (over 28 billion U.S. dollars).

The exhibition showcased the latest domestic drone applications and the latest models, reflecting the industry's growth and innovation.

One highlight at the exhibition is an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which has recently received a production license from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. This makes the eVTOL aircraft the world's first air vehicle to obtain production, airworthiness and type certificates simultaneously. It is expected to begin mass production by the end of this year and gradually enter daily life.

"This eVTOL aircraft is developed by China with independent intellectual property rights. We will also incorporate new energy technologies. The drones will gradually enter cities in the future and eventually become part of daily life," said Sun Yong'an, an exhibitor.

Another highlight at the exhibition is a set of drones designed specifically for teenagers. These drones allow young users to easily learn flight and programming techniques through mobile phone operation.

"We adopt a dual-battery design. If one battery encounters a glitch, the other battery can ensure that the drone functions normally. The propellers are equipped with a two-way up-and-down mechanism to better combat wind resistance," said Bao Xinli, another exhibitor.

At the conference, the CATA also introduced a self-discipline convention for fair competition among general aviation enterprises.

Running from Friday to Sunday, the second CATA Aviation Conference also features industry forums on topics such as high-quality development of aviation transportation, innovation in smart civil aviation, civil aviation network and data security, and low-altitude economic development.

High-tech drones displayed at China's aviation exhibition

China's new-generation medium-sized rocket, the Long March-8 (CZ-8), was successfully transferred to the launching area at the country's first commercial space launch site in Wenchang City of south China's island province of Hainan Sunday afternoon, ready to be launched at an appropriate time in coming days.

The rocket was developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It adopts green and environmentally friendly liquid propellant, and concluded a successful full rehearsal in early November this year.

At 13:44, the rocket was transferred to No. 1 launch pad at the Hainan Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site.

Construction of the No. 1 launch pad started in July 2022 and finished on Dec 29, 2023.

The launch of Long March-8 marks the inaugural event for the No. 1 launch pad, serving as a further capability test of the launch site following its first successful launch mission.

On Nov. 30, a Long March-12 carrier rocket was successfully launched into space, serving as the maiden launch mission undertaken by the launch site.

China's commercial space industry expanded from 800 billion yuan (about 112 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019 to 1.9 trillion yuan in 2023. The market scale is expected to reach 2.34 trillion yuan by the end of 2024, according to an industry report.

China to launch Long March-8 rocket at its first commercial space launch site