China has begun flight tests of the rotary-wing AR-500B UAV.

 Developed under the main contractor of AVIC Corporation, the drone is planned to be deployed on several naval platforms, including patrol boats and corvettes. The company stated that the AR-500B is the first device developed in this class in China. The drone, which took off, glided and landed during the first flight, remained in the air for about half an hour.

According to the information described, the maximum take-off weight of the AR-500B is 500 kg, while the useful load capacity is 70 kg. The drone has a maximum speed of 140 km/h and has a stay in the air for approximately four hours.

The platform is designed for reconnaissance, target search and identification, assessing damage to the destroyed enemy, and transferring radio signals.