The "Weiqingtian UH-600". [Photo/Tide News]

Zhejiang Kaibuwei Space Technology successfully completed the maiden flight of its independently developed drone, the "Weiqingtian UH-600", in Qingtian county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, on March 12.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 650 kilograms, this tandem-rotor drone marks a significant step for the company in the field of large unmanned aerial vehicles and injects new momentum into China's low-altitude economy.

The UH-600 features a tandem-rotor design and a streamlined fuselage. Prior to the flight, technicians conducted thorough inspections of the airframe, rotors, and power systems.

After a brief engine warm-up, the drone lifted off smoothly, demonstrating stable hovering, turning, and low-altitude cruising capabilities. All flight parameters met design standards, and the mission was declared a complete success.

According to the company's chief engineer, the "Weiqingtian UH-600" can carry up to 300 kilograms of cargo or emergency supplies, and remain airborne for up to eight hours.

Under extreme conditions, it can serve as a substitute for manned helicopters in high-risk missions, significantly improving safety and operational efficiency.

The drone boasts a high power-to-weight ratio, converting most of its power into lift — an improvement of about 10 percentage points over traditional single-rotor aircraft — and has a lower overall failure rate due to its compact structure.

The development of the "Weiqingtian UH-600" took nearly five years, from market research and prototyping to final design and testing. With all preliminary validations now complete, the product has officially entered the production stage.

With high reliability and large payload capacity, the drone is expected to be widely used in emergency rescue, logistics, agriculture, and energy inspection, providing strong support for the low-altitude economy.