China successfully tests unmanned helicopter: report

China has successfully tested an unmanned helicopter which conducted its first night operations under challenging conditions, the official media reported Friday, opening the possibility for the military to consider deploying them for a range of operations.

The AV500 unmanned helicopter took off and flew toward sea in a headwind of 15 meters per second at midnight on June 14 in South China's Hainan Province.

The helicopter successfully conducted its first night operation under challenging conditions, demonstrating its any-time, all-terrain capabilities increasing its possibility for Chinese military to put it into service, the Global Times quoted Chinese analysts as saying.

A drone helicopter could conduct patrol, reconnaissance, damage evaluation and attack missions for the military. It could also be deployed on missions relating to anti-terrorism, firefighting and disaster evaluation, an expert said.

During the night-time mission, the drone helicopter successfully located its target vessel with its electro-optical pod and transferred back clear infrared visuals, read a statement the helicopter department of the state-owned Aviation Industry of China (AVIC), the maker of the helicopter said in a press release.

During its flight, the AV500 overcame challenging environments including strong winds and high salinity and humidity, the AVIC said.

In 2017, the company flew the AV500 in Northwest China's Gansu Province, as it climbed to an altitude of 5,006 meters, a record for a domestically developed helicopter drone.

AV500W, an armed reconnaissance variant of the AV500, successfully conducted a missile firing test in 2018, making it combat ready, the AVIC said earlier.

It can carry a 175-kilogramme payload and fly at a maximum speed of 170 kms an hour carrying laser-guided missiles or machine guns, the company said.

The AV500 also took part in a military exercise at the invitation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and conducted a mock assault mission, Global Times quoted a China Aviation News report.

Since the PLA does not seem to have helicopter drones in service, it might consider adding one, the military expert suggested, noting that a helicopter drone is more flexible and offers unique advantages over traditional fixed wing drones.