Video: China develops large drone based on Antonov An-2. Images: Flyingpan
China has unveiled a new large drone, the FP-985, equipped with a piston engine and inspired by the design of the Soviet airplane Antonov An-2.
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Developed by engineers from the company Flyingpan, the drone incorporates elements of the An-2 to create an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle.
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Unlike the An-2 and its Chinese counterpart, the Shifei Y5B, both biplanes, the FP-985 is a monoplane, characterized by a single wing. The drone also stands out by lacking a pilot cabin, being controlled exclusively from the ground.
The FP-985 has a maximum takeoff weight of 5700 kg and a payload capacity of 2000 kg. It can reach a cruising speed of 200 km/h and operate at a maximum altitude of 7500 meters.
This is not the first drone based on the An-2. In 2018, China had already presented the FP-98, derived from the Shifei Y5B.
Experts believe that these drones could open up new possibilities in the fields of logistics and search and rescue operations.
The FP-98, like the Y5B, does not require dedicated runways for takeoff, needing only a few hundred meters on a relatively flat surface.
The model is also equipped with an autopilot and remote control systems, as well as programs for autonomous takeoff and landing.
Recently, in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan used modified versions of the An-2, operated as drones after the pilot ejected, to neutralize Armenia’s air defenses.
Source: mil.in.ua. Images: Flyingpan. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
