This article summarizes reporting by Global Times.

United Aircraft Lanying R6000 Completes Maiden Flight in Sichuan

On December 28, 2025, the Chinese aviation manufacturer United Aircraft successfully conducted the maiden flight of the Lanying R6000 in Deyang City, Sichuan Province. According to reporting by the Global Times, the aircraft is marketed as the world’s first 6-ton-class tiltrotor, marking a significant development in China’s push for independent aviation technology and the expansion of its “low-altitude economy.”

The R6000, also known as the “Lanthanum Shadow,” combines the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flexibility of a helicopter with the high-speed cruising capabilities of a fixed-wing turboprop. United Aircraft aims to utilize this platform for a variety of missions, including inter-city commuting, emergency rescue, and long-distance logistics.

Technical Specifications and Performance

The Lanying R6000 is designed to fill a specific niche in the heavy-lift VTOL market. While other tiltrotors exist, such as the military V-22 Osprey and the civilian AgustaWestland AW609, the R6000 is specifically categorized in the 6-ton maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) class. According to data cited by the Global Times and United Aircraft, the aircraft features a maximum cruising speed of 550 kilometers per hour (approx. 342 mph) and a maximum range of 4,000 kilometers (approx. 2,485 miles).

Key Capabilities

The aircraft is engineered to carry up to 10 passengers or a payload of 2,000 kilograms (2 tons). Its service ceiling is reported to be 7,620 meters (25,000 feet), allowing it to operate above most adverse weather conditions. A critical component of the R6000’s design is its propulsion system; it is powered by the AES100 turboshaft engine, which was independently developed by the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC).

United Aircraft project manager Zhao Fengming highlighted the specific design choices made to enhance safety and operational flexibility. In an interview with the Global Times, Zhao noted:

“The R6000 indicates China has reached the forefront of the world in tiltrotor technology, breaking a long-standing technological monopoly.”

Zhao further explained that the aircraft utilizes a tilting rotor shaft configuration rather than tilting the entire engine nacelle. This design choice is intended to prevent high-temperature exhaust from damaging landing decks or endangering ground personnel during operations.

Strategic Importance to the Low-Altitude Economy

The successful flight of the R6000 aligns with China’s broader strategic goal of developing a “low-altitude economy,” a sector projected to reach a value of 1.5 trillion yuan by 2025. By offering speeds nearly double that of traditional helicopters and ranges four times greater, the R6000 is positioned to revolutionize regional transport networks.

The aircraft is described as a “pilotless” prototype in its current iteration, capable of autonomous passenger transport. This feature distinguishes it from traditional piloted tiltrotors and aligns it with the growing trend of autonomous aerial logistics and transit.

AirPro News Analysis

The introduction of the R6000 represents a calculated move to occupy the “middle ground” of the VTOL market. While the western AW609 sits at approximately 8 tons and the military V-280 Valor at roughly 13 tons, the 6-ton R6000 offers a lighter, potentially more efficient solution for regional commercial hops that are too long for electric air taxis (eVTOLs) but too short for fixed-wing jets.

Furthermore, the integration of the domestic AES100 engine is perhaps the most significant industrial achievement here. Reliance on foreign engines has historically been a bottleneck for Chinese civil aviation; certifying and flying a domestic engine on a complex tiltrotor platform demonstrates a maturing supply chain capable of supporting high-performance airframes without external dependency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a tiltrotor aircraft?
A tiltrotor uses rotors that can tilt vertical for takeoff and landing (like a helicopter) and rotate forward for horizontal flight (like an airplane), offering the best of both worlds.

Is the R6000 electric?
No. The R6000 is powered by the AES100 turboshaft engine, utilizing traditional aviation fuel to achieve ranges (4,000 km) that current battery-electric technology cannot match.

When will it enter service?
While the maiden flight was completed on December 28, 2025, specific dates for commercial entry into service have not been confirmed. The aircraft is currently in the prototype flight testing phase.

Sources

• Global Times

Vertical Aerospace Completes Final VX4 Prototype, Targets Hybrid Expansion in 2026

Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL) has officially announced the completion of its third and final full-scale VX4 prototype, a critical milestone intended to accelerate the company’s path toward Certification. According to a statement released on December 22, 2025, the new aircraft is scheduled to begin piloted flight testing in January 2026 following a brief commissioning phase.

The addition of this aircraft effectively doubles the Bristol-based manufacturer’s flight test capacity. By operating two identical full-scale prototypes simultaneously, Vertical Aerospace aims to increase the frequency of data gathering required for regulatory approval. This development comes shortly after the company unveiled “Valo,” its rebranded commercial production aircraft, and signaled a strategic expansion into hybrid-electric propulsion for defense and logistics markets.

Accelerating the Path to Certification

The newly completed aircraft is a VX4 model, identical to the second prototype that has been undergoing rigorous testing in the UK. In November 2025, the existing prototype received its Permit to Fly and has since completed 10 piloted flights, successfully expanding the aircraft’s flight envelope. The primary role of this final prototype is to serve as a workhorse for validating aerodynamics, flight control software, and battery technologies.

According to the company’s announcement, the immediate schedule for the new unit involves post-production systems checks followed by a maiden piloted flight in January. Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, emphasized the importance of this addition to their fleet:

“As we look ahead to 2026, the addition of our final prototype marks an important step in closing out our prototype flight test programme and maintaining momentum towards commercialization. Our test pilots are eager to get this aircraft into the air.”

Strategic Pivot: Hybrid Propulsion and the “Valo” Tour

While the immediate focus remains on electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) certification, Vertical Aerospace is simultaneously broadening its technological scope. The company revealed that later in 2026, this final prototype will be retrofitted with a hybrid-electric propulsion system. This modification is designed to test long-range capabilities, with a target range of up to 1,000 miles, significantly higher than the ~100-mile range of the all-electric configuration.

This hybrid strategy targets the defense, logistics, and emergency medical services (EMS) sectors, where range and payload often outweigh the requirement for zero-emission short hops. The company projects a payload capacity of approximately 1,100 kg for this variant.

Distinguishing Prototype from Product

Vertical Aerospace has clarified the distinction between the testing hardware and the final commercial product. The aircraft currently flying, and the unit just completed, are VX4 prototypes. These utilize the original fuselage design and distributed battery packs to validate core systems.

In contrast, the commercial model, branded as Valo, features a redesigned fuselage, a V-tail with a tail wheel, and an under-floor liquid-cooled battery system. While the flying prototypes remain in the UK for technical validation, Vertical Aerospace plans to launch a US tour in January 2026, starting in New York City. This tour is expected to feature a full-scale static model of Valo to demonstrate the passenger experience to investors and partners.

Financial Outlook and Timeline

The expansion of the flight test program occurs against a backdrop of careful capital management. As of November 2025, Vertical Aerospace reported a cash position of approximately £89 million ($117 million). The company has stated this funding provides a runway through mid-2026, with a controlled net operating cash outflow guidance of $110–125 million for the 2025 fiscal year.

Key milestones for the upcoming year include:

• January 2026: Piloted flight testing of the final prototype and the start of the Valo US Tour.
• Mid-to-Late 2026: Retrofitting the final prototype for hybrid-electric trials.
• Throughout 2026: Public flight demonstrations, potentially at major international Air-Shows.
• 2028: Targeted Type Certification for Valo with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and EASA.

AirPro News Analysis

The completion of a third prototype is a standard but vital step in aerospace certification; redundancy allows for parallel testing streams, one aircraft can focus on performance handling while the other tests system reliability or failure modes. However, the most significant revelation in this update is the concrete timeline for the hybrid-electric retrofit.

By targeting a 1,000-mile range with a hybrid variant, Vertical Aerospace is effectively hedging its bets. The pure-electric urban air mobility market is crowded and infrastructure-dependent. A hybrid variant opens immediate doors to military and cargo contracts that are less sensitive to noise and battery density constraints. With a cash runway extending only to mid-2026, demonstrating a viable hybrid technology later that year could be a decisive factor in securing the next tranche of necessary funding.

Sources

• Vertical Aerospace Press Release (Dec 22, 2025)
• Vertical Aerospace Official Website

This article is based on an official press release from Boom Supersonic.

Boom Supersonic Expands into Energy Sector with “Superpower” Turbines for AI Data Centers

In a significant strategic expansion announced on December 9, 2025, Boom Supersonic has unveiled “Superpower,” a new business division dedicated to manufacturing natural gas turbines for artificial intelligence data centers. While the company remains focused on its goal of commercial supersonic flight, this move leverages its proprietary engine technology to address the growing global energy deficit caused by the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.

According to the company’s official announcement, the initiative is supported by a newly closed $300 million Series B funding round and a massive launch order from AI infrastructure firm Crusoe. The company reports that the backlog for the new turbine product already exceeds $1.25 billion.

Leveraging Aviation Tech for Ground Power

The core of the Superpower product line is a 42-megawatt (MW) natural gas turbine derived directly from the “Symphony” engine core, the same propulsion system Boom is developing for its Overture supersonic airliner. By adapting this aviation-grade technology for stationary power generation, Boom aims to solve specific inefficiencies plaguing current energy grids.

The press release highlights several technical specifications designed to meet the needs of modern data centers, particularly those in challenging climates:

• High-Heat Performance: The turbine is rated to maintain full power output in ambient temperatures exceeding 110°F (43°C), addressing the “heat derating” issues common in legacy turbines.
• Waterless Operation: The system requires zero water for cooling, a critical feature for facilities in arid regions.
• Rapid Deployment: The modular design fits within a standard shipping container footprint.

Boom Supersonic Founder and CEO Blake Scholl emphasized the dual utility of their technology in a statement regarding the launch:

“Supersonic technology is an accelerant, of course for faster flight, but now for artificial intelligence as well. With this financing and our first order for Superpower, Boom is funded to deliver both our engine and our airliner.”

Strategic “Resequencing” and Financials

Boom describes this expansion as a strategic “resequencing” of its business model. The revenue generated from the Superpower division is intended to fund the capital-intensive certification and production processes required for the Overture aircraft. Additionally, operating the Symphony engine core in ground-based scenarios will allow the company to accumulate millions of operating hours and reliability data, which is expected to accelerate the certification of the flight-ready engines.

Funding and Investors

To support this new direction, Boom closed a $300 million funding round led by Darsana Capital Partners. Other participants include Altimeter Capital, ARK Invest, Bessemer Venture Partners, Robinhood Ventures, and Y Combinator. While Boom has raised capital previously, the company designated this specific raise as a “Series B” round, signaling a distinct capitalization structure for this phase of growth.

Steve Friedman, a partner at Darsana Capital, commented on the efficiency of this strategy:

“[This is a] smart, capital-efficient path to building the next great American industrial company.”

Launch Customer: Crusoe

The viability of the Superpower division is underscored by a significant commitment from its launch customer, Crusoe. The vertically integrated AI infrastructure company has placed an order for 29 units, representing 1.21 gigawatts (GW) of power capacity. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027.

Chase Lochmiller, CEO of Crusoe, noted that the partnership aligns with their need for rapid power deployment to support AI computing demands. The deal accounts for the majority of Boom’s reported $1.25 billion backlog for the new division.

AirPro News Analysis

The pivot by Boom Supersonic highlights a critical bottleneck in the technology sector: the “Time-to-Power” crisis. As AI models grow in complexity, data centers require gigawatts of additional power that aging municipal grids often cannot supply on short notice. By offering a “behind-the-meter” solution, where companies generate their own power on-site, Boom is positioning itself to capture revenue from the tech sector’s most urgent pain point. This strategy effectively allows the booming AI market to subsidize the development of supersonic travel, turning a high-risk aviation R&D project into a diversified industrial operation.

Boom plans to ramp up production of these turbines to over 4 GW annually by 2030 at a facility in the United States.

Sources

• Boom Supersonic Press Release