Caihong YH-1000Sis the first aerial hybrid transport drone developed in China, and successfully performed its first flight in the Liangping area of Chongqing on February 1.
This project is being led by the 11th Research Institute of China Aviation Technology Group Corporation (CASC), and represents an important step forward in the field of large cargo unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
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In its first flight, the YH-1000S was operated using a high-performance hybrid power system developed through cooperation with leading companies in the new energy field of the Chinese automobile industry.
According to the developers, this solution significantly shortened takeoff and landing distances while expanding payload and flight range, and contributed to verifying the aircraft’s core aerodynamic characteristics and control performance.

This program is considered China’s first large-scale, cross-industry integration between the drone industry and the automobile industry. The initiative combines the use of a joint supply chain, the application of modular production methods and the use of mature technologies in the field of electric and hybrid vehicles. As a result, the consortium announced that it has secured flexibility for future platform derivative development while reducing development and manufacturing costs.
Designed as a multi-functional system Caihong YH-1000SIt aims to carry out a variety of civil and national missions, including:
- international logistics cargo transportation;
- Delivery of emergency supplies during crises and natural disasters;
- artificial meteorological intervention (weather modification) operations;
- maritime surveillance;
- Navigation control and coastal area surveillance.

According to Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV), the success of this first flight has laid the foundation for further testing stages and is expected to serve as an opportunity to position the YH-1000S as China’s strategic platform in the field of large transport drones.
Source and image: Xinhua News Agency, CCTV. This content was created with the help of artificial intelligence and has been reviewed by the editorial staff.
China Successfully Tests the YH-1000S, Its First Hybrid Aeronautical Transport Drone
The Caihong YH-1000S, China’s first aeronautical-type hybrid transport drone, successfully completed its maiden flight on February 1 in the Liangping area of Chongqing. Source : Xinhua, CCTV pic.twitter.com/ShKZkZ222c — saibadetudo.com.br (@saibadetudo25) February 4, 2026
