Takeoff weight reaches 7 tons, range 3000 kilometers! Decoding the hardcore strength of the "unmanned aerial heavy truck" Changying-8

On March 31, the Changying-8 large transport drone successfully completed its maiden flight at Zhengzhou Shangjie Airport. Reporters from the main station also had a close-up visit to this "unmanned aerial heavy truck" — the Changying-8 drone. Why does it have the nickname "unmanned aerial heavy truck"? What are its performance characteristics? Let's decode the "unmanned aerial heavy truck" — Changying-8!

How powerful is the Changying-8 unmanned transport drone that made its maiden flight today? Here are some numbers:

Wingspan of 25 meters;

Maximum flight altitude over 10,000 meters;

Maximum range over 3,000 kilometers, allowing it to fly directly from Beijing to Xinjiang without refueling.

It also has a significant feature: its payload capacity. This drone has a weight of 3.5 tons and can carry a load of up to 3.5 tons.

Cai Hangqing, chairman of North Industries Changying, introduced that the aircraft is 17 meters long and nearly 5 meters high, making it a relatively large unmanned cargo transport aircraft.

The Changying-8 drone has "two strengths and two heights":

The first is its strong payload capacity, with a total takeoff weight of 7 tons, making it the largest unmanned logistics transport aircraft to have its maiden flight globally.

The second is its high loading efficiency, featuring a front and rear dual-hatch integrated design, which is currently the only design of its kind in the world.

CCTV reporter Li Ning: The nose of the Changying-8 cargo hold can be opened, and the rear cargo hatch can also be opened, greatly improving its loading efficiency. Loading 3.5 tons of cargo only takes about 15 minutes. Additionally, the space is quite large, with a total effective volume of 18 cubic meters, allowing it to accommodate mainstream aviation containers.

In addition to the cargo hold, there are mounting points under the wings of the Changying-8, which can be used for future application scenarios, such as hanging emergency communication pods and firefighting equipment for emergency rescue operations.

Cai Hangqing, chairman of North Industries Changying: The wings can also carry cargo or other payloads, with a wing load capacity designed to be 3.5 tons.

CCTV reporter Li Ning: To adapt to different takeoff and landing conditions, the Changying-8 has undergone many unique designs, such as a reinforced and heavier landing gear. Additionally, there is a black section on the propeller, which is actually a heating device used for de-icing and snow removal. The wings are designed similarly to the Y-20 and Y-9 with a high-mounted wing design, over two meters high, to accommodate different takeoff and landing environments like sandy roads and grasslands.

Cai Hangqing, chairman of North Industries Changying: The landing gear is designed to be very sturdy, especially with wider and larger tires. It also has strong short takeoff and landing capabilities, able to achieve short takeoff and landing within 500 meters.

Based on the Changying-8, there are plans to develop larger, smarter, and newer drones in the future. Plans include helicopters with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, as well as drones with compound wings, aiming to provide comprehensive solutions for different scenarios and transportation needs.

(CCTV reporters Cui Xia, Mao Caitao, Li Ning, Wu Tianbai, Qu Rui)