Chinese AVIC reveals U.S.-made V-BAT copy drone

China’s AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group has officially presented a new vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle known as the Yunying (Cloud Shadow in Chinese), a tail-sitter drone featuring a ducted-fan design closely resembling the V-BAT system developed by U.S. company Shield AI.

The Yunying-25V UAV was officially showcased during the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala in Yibin, where a formation of ten drones conducted a coordinated public flight demonstration, marking one of the system’s first large-scale public appearances.

The Yunying drone is designed for “convenient vertical takeoff and landing,” enabled by a specialized airframe layout and flight-control algorithms intended to improve adaptability across different environments. The manufacturer stated that the aircraft requires only a 3-by-3-meter area for launch and recovery, allowing operations from limited terrain or moving platforms.

Company materials describe the concept as enabling launch “within a small space — directly into the sky,” highlighting the system’s emphasis on rapid deployment and flexible basing options.

(AVIC pic)

Technical specifications released by the developer outline two variants of the aircraft: an electric version and a gasoline-powered model. The electric configuration has a maximum takeoff weight of 25 kilograms, while the fuel-powered version reaches 31 kilograms. Both variants are capable of operating at altitudes up to 4,000 meters. Maximum flight speed is listed at 190 kilometers per hour for the electric model and 210 kilometers per hour for the gasoline version.

The aircraft carries a mission payload of up to 3 kilograms in the electric configuration and 4 kilograms in the fuel variant. The drone has a wingspan of 2.6 meters and a total length of 1.96 meters.

As noted in the manufacturer’s description, the Yunying uses a modular, disassemblable structure intended to simplify transportation and field deployment. The system can be transported in the bed of a pickup truck, and deployment time from opening the transport container to launch is stated to be under five minutes. Promotional text emphasizes “light equipment — everything in one container” and “launch in five minutes — flying with the wind.”

The drone is described as a tail-sitter VTOL platform with a ducted propeller configuration, combining vertical takeoff capability with the higher cruise efficiency associated with fixed-wing aircraft. This hybrid approach allows the aircraft to take off vertically, transition to forward flight, and operate with improved speed compared with traditional multirotor drones.

According to the manufacturer, the Yunying supports modular mission payloads that can be quickly swapped depending on operational requirements. The platform is equipped with an electro-optical payload capable of transmitting real-time video and imagery, enabling missions such as urban monitoring, industrial inspection, and emergency response operations.

The system also incorporates features intended to simplify maintenance and recovery, including non-destructive landing procedures and reduced operating costs. The company positions the aircraft as suitable for both civilian and security applications requiring persistent aerial observation.

The overall configuration — particularly the tail-sitter architecture and ducted-fan propulsion — closely mirrors design principles seen in Western VTOL reconnaissance drones, most notably Shield AI’s V-BAT platform, which has gained attention for operating from ships and constrained environments without runways or launch infrastructure.

A V-BAT unmanned aerial system. (Photo by Luke Rodriguez)

While the Chinese developer did not reference foreign systems directly, the visual similarity highlights growing global competition in compact VTOL unmanned aircraft designed for expeditionary operations and distributed surveillance missions.