AVIC AR-500C

Unmanned Helicopter System (UHS) [ 2024 ]

The AVIC AR-500C is an advanced unmanned helicopter system capable of accomplishing a variety of over-land roles including reconnaissance.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/11/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Chinese aero-industry has full-embraced the concept of indigenous Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) design and development. This goes beyond the typical short- and mediun-altitude fixed-wing performers and now includes unmanned rotorcraft such as the AR-500C by AViation Industry Corporation (AVIC) of China. The helicopter completed its maiden 20-minute-long flight in May of 2020 and continues development as of this writing.

The AR-500C is built atop the proven framework of the earlier AR-500B model and, once operational, will be tasked with high-altitude reconnaissance work, suitable for operating in the "hot-and-high" rugged mountainous areas of China. Development work began in 2019 with the first flyable example completed in March of 2020. Ground-testing commenced soon after leading up to the first-flight in May.

As an unmanned rotorcraft, the AR-500C takes on a conventional design shape with the main rotor mast set above the fuselage and the tail rotor unit (facing port side) installed at the extreme end of the tail stem as an anti-torque solution. The tail unit also incorporates vertical fins and a curved skid rod. The fuselage of the helicopter houses all pertinent mission and operational systems with a traversing optics set at the "chin" position - providing unfettered, real-time views of the action ahead and surrounding the helicopter. For ground-running, the vehicle is equipped with a simple four-point landing skin solution.

As built, the aircraft can reach a maximum speed of 170 kmh and ranges up to 6,700 meters and out some five hours of flight time. Its MTOW is rated up to 500 kg consisting of various non-attack / mission support loads. The aircraft can operate through ground operator input or autonomously as needed and can furthermore be linked to manned aircraft for a complete aerial network solution.

Beyond its intended general reconnaissance role, developers of the AR-500C envision a slew of over-land / over-battlefield roles for their helicopter design including NBC (Nuclear-Biological-Chemical) data-collection, humanitarian aid, Search and Rescue (SAR), maritime patrol, and Electronic Warfare (EW).©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

May 2020 - A first-flight involving the AR-500C helicopter was recorded on May 20th, 2020 covering some 20 minutes in the air.

August 2022 - AVIC has announced a successful first-flight of its AR-500CJ maritime variant of the AR-500 UHS.

Specifications

Service Year

2024

Origin

China

Status

IN-DEVELOPMENT
Program in Progress.

Crew

0
UNMANNED

Production

1
UNITS

AViation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) - China

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

China

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Length

21.3 ft
(6.50 m)

Width/Span

24.6 ft
(7.50 m)

Height

29.5 ft
(9.00 m)

Empty Wgt

882 lb
(400 kg)

MTOW

1,102 lb
(500 kg)

Wgt Diff

+220 lb
(+100 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base AVIC AR-500C production variant)

Installed: 1 x Engine driving two-bladed main rotor unit and two-bladed tail rotor unit (facing port side).

Max Speed

106 mph
(170 kph | 92 kts)

Ceiling

21,982 ft
(6,700 m | 4 mi)

Range

528 mi
(850 km | 1,574 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base AVIC AR-500C production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

None.

Supported Types

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

AR-500C - Base Series Designation; evolved form of the earlier AR-500B model.

AR-500CJ - Navalized, shipborne variant for over-water operations; first-flight recorded August 2022.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.

Images Gallery

1 / 1

Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)