Chinese AV500 Unmanned Helicopter Participates in Combat Exercise

Chinese AV500 unmanned helicopter, billed as a competitor to the US-made MQ-8 Fire Scout, recently conducted deep penetration operations during a combat exercise.

China Daily quoting a social media post by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said that the AV500 unmanned helicopter performed well in a recent military exercise of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

On the day of the exercise, with high-altitude wind speeds reaching 22 meters per second, the AV500 simulated conducting defense penetration operations at mid and low altitudes. By virtue of its superior wind-resistant performance, precise route control, and stable flight attitude, the AV500 spanned a distance of 180 kilometers with all parameters registered as normal in about two hours.

The results showed that the air-defense penetration combat capability of the AV500 lived up to expectations, successfully completing the air defense penetration exercise.

In a previous test on November 18, 2017, the AV500 successfully completed its missile-armed flight and shooting test at a base in Golmud in northwest China’s Qinghai Province.

The AV500 unmanned helicopter is a light unmanned helicopter with a wide range of quasi-military and civilian benefits. Its maximum takeoff weight is 500kg with a payload of 190kg, and its flying height is capable of reaching 5,000 meters, boasting a maximum endurance of nine hours and a control radius of 200km.

While the Western media has accused AVIC of copying the RQ-8A Fire Scout, the Chinese company asserts that compared to the US Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, the AV500 has a smaller size and lesser wieght, but performs comparably in certain aspects, including endurance time and flying height.