China's new civilian airship to enable low-altitude tourism

(ECNS) -- China’s first home-grown civil manned airship blimp, the AS700, was delivered to a client in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Saturday, paving the way for the commercial low-altitude tourism sector.

The AS700 manned airship blimp, manufactured by the Special Vehicle Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), will be operated by Guangxi Guilin Ark General Aviation in Yangshuo county.

Two other clients have placed orders for a combined 12 AS700 airships, each capable of carrying a maximum weight of 4,150kg (9,149 pounds), transporting 10 passengers and flying up to 700km (435 miles).

The development of the AS700 manned airship was approved and initiated by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2018. It uses inert helium gas and is equipped with an integrated avionics system. The airship’s spacious cabin is designed with large panoramic windows, and the noise level is around 80 decibels, ensuring a high level of safety and comfort.

In addition to low-altitude tourism, the airship will be used in fields such as aerial advertising, urban security, aviation exploration, and emergency rescue.