Chinese start-up UAV developer United Aircraft Group appears prominently among several firms from the People’s Republic showcasing their product lines at this year’s Singapore Airshow.
Founded in 2012 under the leadership of CEO Gangyin Tian, the Shenzhen-based research and development (R&D) enterprise has achieved considerable success on its home turf, despite starting from modest origins. Today, United Aircraft has raised roughly $500 million from several investors including, most recently, the Longjiang Fund.
“As one of the world's largest and most important aerospace and defense exhibitions, the Singapore Airshow provides a platform for UAV enterprises to connect with suppliers, clients, and partners,” Tian told AIN. “At the same time, we get to display our latest technologies such as our unmanned helicopter, drones, software, and applications. The global attention garnered can lead to new investments, research collaborations, and customer interest. Industry panels and discussions will offer insights into market trends, upcoming regulations, and other industry-specific knowledge.”
With a diverse portfolio that includes uncrewed helicopters, multi-rotor small drones, ground and onboard equipment, rotor blades, and composite products, United Aircraft has positioned itself as a key UAV player, supplying the Chinese government and military as well as various partners. Its products, deployed in provinces such as Beijing, Heilongjiang, and Anhui, cover applications including emergency rescue and powerline inspection, Tian said.
Along with Shenzhen, the company operates in Beijing, Guangdong, Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Shanghai, Heilongjiang, and Gansu.
“We've set up a comprehensive base that encompasses UAV design, R&D, production, subassembly, final assembly, testing, and system joint commissioning,” said Tian. “With the support of governments and investors, we are going to invest more into new-gen aircraft represented by tiltrotor UAV and accelerate product R&D and application.”
On Display
United Aircraft's large-load coaxial unmanned helicopter, the TD550, appears prominently among the company’s products showcased at the Singapore Airshow.
With a maximum take-off weight of 550 kg, a takeoff altitude of 5,000 meters, and a maximum speed of 112 mph, the TD550 can carry four 50 kg mid-air explosion fire extinguisher bombs within a 124-mile radius. The UAV also serves applications such as cross-island transportation, agriculture, forestry protection, and emergency rescue.
Powered by a supercharged piston engine, the TD550 adopts a redundant flight control system and includes a fiberoptic gyroscope inertial navigation system plus China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. Among its functionalities, the TD550 allows for manual control, program-controlled flight, and one-click full autonomous flight.
The high-precision HeliAp flight control system manages autonomous takeoff and landing, fixed-point hover, autonomous obstacle avoidance, emergency return, and precision point delivery. It can perform in various environments, demonstrating resistance to high and low temperatures, humidity, rain, sand, dust, salt spray, mold, and low pressure.
United Aircraft also is introducing its latest quad-rotor drone, the Q20 platform. Featuring a maximum battery life of 80 minutes and a level 7 rating for wind gust resistance of up to 38 mph, the Q20 delivers a 75-minute endurance with an empty load and a 50-minute endurance while carrying a 5 kg load.
Tian noted that the Q20, alongside the TD550 and the TD220 co-axial unmanned helicopter, played a crucial role in last year's emergency flood response in the provinces of Beijing, Hebei, and Heilongjiang.
“With TD550’s 200 kg payload, it was able to help deliver supplies to victims,” he explained. “The small size of Q20 played the role of river patrol, and the TD220, equipped with a base station, carried the duty on communication relay.”
Using 3D time-of-flight sensing technology, the Q20 offers 3D modeling, six-way obstacle avoidance, intelligent identification, and path planning in complex environments. It also adopts the BeiDou short-message communication technology as a safety control system feature.
Designed for ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and reliability in temperatures as low as -40°C, the drone already has found widespread application in various domestic sectors, including energy, agriculture, forestry, public security, and policing.
“The Q20, along with the TD550, is making its debut on the international stage at the Singapore Airshow,” said Tian. “In addition, three drones—the Q3 pipeline inspection microdrone, the Q4 warehouse inspection microdrone, and the Q5 tunnel patrol drone—will be on display. These five products form a complete product matrix to meet the different product needs of the client.”
Meanwhile, United Aircraft's latest model, a six-tonne aviation-class tiltrotor UAV, remains under development and will not appear at the show. With a range exceeding 1,864 miles, the design integrates a helicopter’s vertical takeoff, landing, and hovering capabilities and the high-speed cruising ability of a fixed-wing propeller aircraft,
“We have achieved good results in the R&D of the tiltrotor UAV,” added Tian. “At present, the project has completed the detailed design phase and has entered full trial production,” adding that the company stands poised for a breakthrough year in 2024.
Given China's advanced maturity in the UAV sector, Tian expressed optimism that UAVs, including eVTOL and tiltrotor designs, will deploy and proliferate in the coming decade.
“The development of China's UAV industry has reached world-class level,” he said. “China's consumer-grade drones are leading the world, and industrial-grade UAVs are experiencing a period of rapid growth. In the future, UAVs will develop towards large load capacity, long endurance, and artificial intelligence. UAVs will also complete multiple tasks in one flight and work collaboratively.”
Beyond China’s borders, Tian has established a Singapore-based R&D institute to spur advancements in AI, autonomous flight operations, and related technologies. Drones, such as the Q5 tunnel patrol drone, have entered into operation in the Singapore market, specifically in subway tunnels for inspecting wall cracks and water leaks.
“The mission of the UAV enterprise is to enhance quality and efficiency across various industries, eliminating the need for workers to engage in hazardous labor,” he said. “We are willing to establish cooperation with Southeast Asian countries to promote the development of the local UAV industry and exchange experience with each other as well as help upgrade traditional industries, such as agricultural protection, transportation across islands, and public security.”
Additional Exhibitors
United Aircraft appears among nearly 30 exhibitors across mainland China and Hong Kong at this year’s event. Notable participants include state-owned Comac, which recently unveiled a 19-seat all-electric regional aircraft, the CE-25A, as well as two shortened and extended variants of its C919 narrowbody airliner.
Designed for the business aviation market, the CE-25A is a pressurized aircraft that flies to a range of 250 to 310 miles and a maximum cruise speed of 250 mph. It features a conventional layout with distributed electric propulsion plus a swept wing and T-tail. Ducted electric fans appear atop the wings in sets of five on each side.
Chinese media reports that the CE-25A has already completed a scaled-down verification flight. Development takes place at Comac’s Beijing facility in partnership with battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology.
Meanwhile, a shortened version of the 156- to 190-seat C919 narrowbody would seat 140 passengers in two classes; its stretched variant would accommodate 210 passengers in the same configuration.
China Eastern Airlines has now acquired four C919s. On January 9, the airline inaugurated its second domestic C919 route, operating between Shanghai Hongqiao and Beijing Daxing Airports.
Business Aviation Presence
Among China’s business aviation companies, ExecuJet Haite exhibits under its wholly-owned subsidiary, the Sichuan-based Haite Group. Speaking with AIN, general manager Paul Desgrosseilliers highlighted the company’s activities, including the upcoming launch of its second MRO facility at Daxing International in this year’s second quarter. As the treasurer of the Asian Business Aviation Association (ABAA), Desgrosseilliers will advocate for ABAA's activities, with a specific focus on its China chapter.
“The Singapore airshow is a significant event in the Asia region, and business aviation is expected to have substantial attendance this year, especially with the industry eager to reconnect after a prolonged absence due to Covid,” he said. “I think all the OEMs are going to have a pretty large presence this year; everybody's excited to go to Singapore.”