China's manned airship receives new orders, ready for commercial operations

ZHUHAI, Guangdong -- China's independently-developed AS700 civil manned airship has secured 10 more purchase orders, ready for commercial operations, according to its developer - the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Tuesday.

The total number of booked orders for AS700 has reached 23, said the aircraft maker at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, in the port city of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, south China.

The airships are priced at 24.99 million yuan (about $3.47 million) each.

The signing ceremony on Tuesday also witnessed the signing of 164 intended orders for the aircraft.

A type of single-capsule manned airship, AS700 boasts a maximum flight range of 700 km and endurance of 10 hours. Its designed maximum speed is 100 km per hour, and it can carry up to 10 people, including a pilot.

The first AS700 airship was delivered in September this year. As a new type of low-altitude aviation equipment, the China-made manned airship will play a crucial role in the low-altitude economy in China, the AVIC said.

According to the developer, passengers aboard the AS700 can enjoy aerial views through the large panoramic side windows. With its moderate speed, the airship will provide tourists with a flight experience similar to "floating on clouds."

The development team envisages low-altitude sightseeing tourism to be their main focus going forward, with ample potential to expand into other areas such as aerial advertising, urban security, aviation exploration and emergency rescue.