On October 29, as a large blue-and-white unmanned transport aircraft slowly rolled off the final assembly line, the first mass-production unit of the HE-1A commercial unmanned air transport system developed by Shaanxi Huaying Zhongxing Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Huaying Aviation") was officially unveiled. China's first forward-designed and developed ton-class commercial unmanned transport aircraft thus transitioned from development model to mass production, and will subsequently enter the flight testing, certification, and delivery phases.
Traditional trunk and regional air transport capacity previously lacked a payload platform measurable in tons. The HE-1A has a maximum takeoff weight of 4 tonnes, a payload capacity of 2 tonnes, and a payload coefficient greater than 50%, targeting intercity trunk and regional transport scenarios. "The key constraint on low-altitude transport lies in payload capacity, not in flight itself," said Dong Pengsheng, Chief Scientist of Huaying Aviation. He stated that the aircraft aims to transport tons of cargo over long distances while meeting commercial operational requirements in terms of timeliness, safety, and economic efficiency.
The HE-1A type certificate application was accepted by the Northwest Regional Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China in March this year, and the company plans to complete certification by the end of 2027. The aircraft will make its debut at the Zhuhai Airshow in December, with the first flight planned for completion by the end of the year, and the company aims to obtain the type certificate by the end of 2027.
Dong Pengsheng stated that the company will also develop new product lines that complement the HE-1A in terms of takeoff and landing conditions and delivery methods, covering a more complete range of transport needs. Among them, the HE-2 cargo delivery unmanned transport aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 5 tonnes and a payload capacity of 2–2.5 tonnes; its rear-drop design can meet special requirements and transport delivery to areas without landing conditions, and is expected to complete development this year with first flight in 2027. The large compound-wing eVTOL HE550 has a takeoff weight of approximately 2 tonnes and a payload capacity of no less than 500 kg, features vertical takeoff and landing capability, and focuses on intercity low-altitude logistics scenarios.
Huaying Aviation was founded in July 2022. Its core team has participated in the development of national key programs such as the Y-20 and C919. The company adheres to forward design, independently completing the entire chain from aerodynamic configuration and structural solutions to final assembly processes. Gong Shengping, Chairman of Huaying Aviation, said that the company has laid out three production lines at its final assembly base in Weinan, Shaanxi, with an annual production capacity exceeding 100 aircraft once fully operational, and has cumulatively signed orders for 110 aircraft.