China's W5000, believed to be the world's largest unmanned cargo aircraft, successfully completed its maiden flight in Ordos, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Saturday. 

Developed and manufactured by Chinese company Air White Whale, the aircraft consists of 220,000 components, all domestically produced.

During the test flight, the aircraft took off at full engine power, with its flaps set at 8 degrees and landing gear extended. It lifted off after a ground roll of approximately 600 meters, then climbed to an altitude of 1,000 meters above the airfield at an indicated airspeed of around 220 km/h and a climb rate of 5 meters per second.

During the approximately 30-minute flight, the aircraft successfully completed a series of test maneuvers, including climbing, level flight, turning, descending, and approach and landing.

The test flight primarily assessed the aircraft's handling and stability, as well as the coordinated operation of its propulsion, flight control, avionics, and ground-based telemetry and control systems.

According to Hu Zhendong, project manager of the W5000, the aircraft is equipped with domestically developed turboprop engines and features a structure made of domestically produced carbon fiber composites. These technologies help maintain structural strength while reducing the aircraft's overall weight, thereby increasing its cargo-carrying capacity. The aircraft also features lower fuel consumption and eliminates the need for onboard pilots and cockpit equipment, helping to reduce operating costs.

Designed as a large unmanned regional cargo aircraft, the W5000 features a high payload capacity, long range, and low operating costs.

The aircraft has an empty weight of 5.8 tonnes, a maximum payload capacity of 5 tonnes, and a cargo compartment volume of more than 65 cubic meters. With a maximum range of 2,600 kilometers, it is compatible with various standard aviation cargo containers.

These capabilities make the aircraft suitable for a wide range of applications, including regional logistics, cold-chain transportation, and emergency supply delivery.

According to the developer, the W5000 project has secured expressions of interest for a total of 835 aircraft, with prospective customers including multiple logistics companies in China.

The aircraft is expected to enter commercial service by the end of 2027.