China's first comprehensive aerial survey aircraft completes maiden flight

BEIJING -- China's fixed-wing Y-12F atmospheric comprehensive aerial survey aircraft, the first of its kind in China, recently completed its first flight in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Saturday.

The Y-12F-based platform has undergone extensive integration and modification of over 60 mission equipment sets, tailored for highly sensitive three-dimensional detection of atmospheric particulates, gaseous pollutants, greenhouse gases and cloud-water physicochemical properties.

The aircraft is now capable of integrated aerial surveys for multiple pollutants, greenhouse gases and cloud-water detection.

The Y-12F aircraft is a turboprop plane in the eight-ton class, independently developed by AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Co. Ltd. It features outstanding payload capacity and cabin space advantages.

The aircraft is expected to undergo more than 30 hours of cumulative test flights in typical areas, during which the performance and functionality of its mission equipment will be verified and validated at various altitudes and under different environmental conditions.