Chinese aerospace engineers claimed to have developed the world’s first high-speed, vertical takeoff and landing drone powered by a jet engine.
This platform could launch from almost any warship and transition to fast, long-range cruise flight, according to the South China Morning Post.
The uncrewed aircraft, designed to operate without a runway, was built by a team at Beihang University in Beijing led by associate professors Wang Yaokun and Qiu Yuting.
Jet-powered VTOL drone
The project took 10 years to complete, with development beginning in 2015 and a stable design achieved by 2019, the Post reported.
Unlike the US Air Force’s XQ-58A Valkyrie, which requires a long runway or carrier deck, the Chinese drone combines the vertical lift of rotors with the speed of a turbojet engine in a single airframe.
It was conceived to allow the Chinese navy to operate reconnaissance and strike drones from destroyers, frigates, and amphibious ships lacking aircraft carrier facilities.
In a paper published July 15 in the Chinese-language journal Aero Weaponry, the researchers said the aircraft was “far superior in speed” compared with other vertical takeoff drones.
The design uses small rotors for lift during takeoff and landing, then transitions to turbojet-powered forward flight.
Once airborne, a patented retractable fairing system encloses the idle rotors, reducing drag by up to 60 percent in wind tunnel tests.
This allows the drone to cruise with a streamlined profile similar to conventional jet-powered drones.
Qiu and her colleagues said the aircraft can take off and land vertically under “extreme conditions,” including rough seas.
Its composite airframe is built from T-700-grade carbon fiber reinforced with modified resins, giving it the strength to withstand repeated deck landings while remaining lightweight.
Heat shielding protects sections exposed to jet exhaust, tolerating temperatures above 1,292 degrees Fahrenheit.
The propulsion system relies on a compact turbojet for sustained cruise speeds and an electric rotor system for hovering and landing.
Flight tests showed smooth transitions between hover and forward flight. A 45-kilogram test version reached 142 mph with ease, the Post reported.
Could operate from any warship
According to Beihang University’s public records, the aircraft was designed for “multi-drone coordination, high-speed reconnaissance and vertical takeoff and landing from destroyer decks.”
A Chinese defense technology expert not involved in the project told the Post that such drones could be deployed in swarms, penetrate enemy air defenses, conduct time-sensitive surveillance or precision strikes, and return to their host ships without using land bases.
“This turns every major surface combatant into a forward-operating base,” the expert said. “The enemy can’t predict where the next strike will come from.”
Analysts say this platform could help China operate more effectively in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It would allow for regular patrols and quick responses to situations.
However, the design comes with trade-offs. During high-speed cruise, the rotor system, even when enclosed, adds weight and occupies space, reducing payload and fuel efficiency.
