Chinese MALE, HALE (+rotary, small, suicide, logistic, others) UAV/UCAV

tankphobia

tankphobia

Senior Member
Registered Member
tphuang said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2036816640369737923

I posted a video of this + some details I saw in their CETC WeChat article.

1 operator in op vehicle controls 96 drones from 2 launchers Allows 1 fire every 3 sec Can launch ISR drones for intel & EW drones for SEAD followed by attack drones
Click to expand...
Have these types of drones actually been used in combat? They look like they're in a weird niche between high and low end. It's not like China is the only country with the resources to make such a system.
 
siegecrossbow

siegecrossbow

Field Marshall
Staff member
Super Moderator
tankphobia said:
Have these types of drones actually been used in combat? They look like they're in a weird niche between high and low end. It's not like China is the only country with the resources to make such a system.
Click to expand...
Nope. I guess if you relax the definition the drones from operation Spider Web sorta count but they are way less sophisticated and requires extensive handholding from operators.
 
CaribouTruth

CaribouTruth

Junior Member
Registered Member
Shared by @ChinaMilBugle on Twitter.
The world's most powerful cargo drone, built by China North Industries Group Corp, conducted its first flight on March 31, 2026, in Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province. A prototype of the Norinco Luca unmanned transport aircraft took off at 9:30 am from the Zhengzhou Shangjie Airport and stayed in the air for about 30 minutes before landing at the same site.
Engineers checked the model's flight control, avionics, electronic and power systems and achieved desired results, according to Norinco UAS, the drone's developer and a Beijing-based subsidiary of China North Industries Group Corp. In a news release, it was stated that the entire flight was controlled by the aircraft's intelligent systems and monitored by human controllers.

The Norinco Luca measures 17 meters long with a wingspan of 25 meters, and has a takeoff weight of 7 metric tons. The drone boasts a maximum payload capacity of 3.5 tons, equivalent to the total weight of 50 adult individuals. It can carry over 1,700 cotton coats or 700 disaster-relief tents in a single trip, delivering supplies over long distances. With a maximum range of more than 3,000 kilometers — roughly equivalent to a non-stop direct flight from Beijing to Urumqi in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. It can take off and land on runways shorter than 500 meters and can use poorly conditioned airports such as those in plateaus and islands. The aircraft is equipped with an 18-cubic-meter cargo bay that can be opened from both the front and rear sides. The turnaround time can be completed in as fast as 15 minutes, greatly improving logistics turnover efficiency, according to its designers.
Click to expand...

norincotransport.jpegnorinco2.jpegnorinco3.jpeg
 
D

dingyibvs

Senior Member
CaribouTruth said:
Shared by @ChinaMilBugle on Twitter.


View attachment 172674View attachment 172675View attachment 172676
Click to expand...
Here's a video of the first flight plus an interview with the chief designer. The chief designer sounds quite giddy about his accomplishment. He says that the the engines are ultra-safe with a 10^-12 failure rate. He also notes the unique control regimen with 5 control surfaces in the rear (besides the ones on the wings, of course) and that its flight control system allows it to fly even with 4 of them broken. The FCS team is also very young, average age in the 20's, and they used AI to help design the system. The structural components use ultra strong/light composite materials, and only comprise of 22% of the weight and does not require painting. The wings can also support another 3 tons of external payload, which could be utilized in the future (presumably with upgraded engines, landing gears, etc.)

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top