China’s AR-500CJ unmanned helicopter completes sea trials aboard CSSC Explorer 01 drone carrier.

China carried out sea trials of the AR-500CJ unmanned helicopter aboard the CSSC Explorer 01 drone carrier, testing autonomous takeoff and landing in sea state 4–5 conditions.

On October 30, 2025, China Central Television’s military channel CCTV-7 broadcasted footage showing the Xuange-500CJ (also known as the AR-500CJ) unmanned helicopter conducting sea trials on the Zhongchuan Tansuo 01/CSSC Explorer 01 experimental drone carrier. The test included autonomous launch, flight, and landing under simulated coastal sea conditions. Collected data will be used to assess the UAV’s suitability for shipborne operations and integration with naval support systems.
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According to CCTV-7, the Xuange-500CJ (also designated as AR-500CJ) shipborne unmanned helicopter performed several flight operations from the Zhongchuan Tansuo 01 experimental drone carrier, also known as the CSSC Exploration 01. (Picture source: Weibo/撒手锏 and CCTV-7)

The video displayed the unmanned helicopter conducting autonomous takeoff and landing under simulated sea states equivalent to levels 4 and 5, representing conditions typical of coastal naval operations. During the test, the drone executed communication relay and reconnaissance profiles, confirming its ability to perform multiple modular missions while maintaining stability in adverse maritime environments. The sequence also demonstrated the integration of the Xuange-500CJ into shipborne unmanned trials as part of a broader program to test vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) systems for naval use. This event followed land-based autonomous landing simulations and earlier validation stages carried out since its first flight in 2022, illustrating the current phase of transition from experimental evaluation to operational assessment aboard Chinese maritime platforms.

The AR-500CJ was developed by the AVIC Helicopter Research and Development Institute as a naval derivative within the AR-500 family of unmanned helicopters. The series originated from the AR-500BJ shipborne lightweight UAV and the high-altitude AR-500C variant, integrating technical elements from both into a new ship-capable design. The AR-500CJ has a maximum takeoff weight of 600 kilograms, a typical payload capacity of 150 kilograms, and a maximum level speed reported between 160 and 170 kilometers per hour. The aircraft’s operational endurance is estimated at 6 to 7 hours, and its service ceiling reaches about 5,000 meters. Power is provided by the Haery Aviation Power “Lark” heavy-fuel engine, a 150-horsepower-class turbocharged four-stroke unit weighing 98 kilograms and equipped with full-authority digital electronic control (FADEC) and a high-pressure common-rail system. Designed to run on kerosene rather than aviation gasoline, the engine enhances safety aboard ships by reducing volatility risks and simplifying logistical fuel supply. The UAV also includes environmental protection measures, such as anti-humidity, anti-salt, and anti-corrosion coatings, for sustained operation in maritime conditions.

The Xuange-500CJ’s first flight occurred on July 28, 2022, at Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, where it completed manually controlled takeoff, hovering, forward and lateral flight, and landing phases, confirming functional stability across its systems. That flight marked the transition from design and prototyping to systematic flight testing. The AR-500CJ later participated in extended testing across multiple locations in China during 2023, focusing on flight stability, autonomous control, and real-time communication systems. By 2025, the model was integrated into maritime emergency exercises, including oil spill observation, personnel search, and coastal surveillance missions. The aircraft was displayed at the Tianjin International Helicopter Exhibition, where its model featured among over 70 AVIC-developed helicopters, and where its modular design and heavy-fuel propulsion system were emphasized. The system was also recorded executing real-time communications relay and long-endurance surveillance roles. These progressive test stages confirmed the aircraft’s ability to autonomously take off and land in 4 to 5 sea state conditions, extending operational performance beyond earlier AR-500B and AR-500C configurations and supporting its application for both civilian and defense maritime missions.

The AR-500CJ integrates a combined inertial, differential, and visual navigation system for landing precision, supported by an electric harpoon-grating deck lock system to secure the aircraft immediately upon touchdown. This mechanism allows operations on limited deck areas and reduces exposure to turbulence during ship motion. The helicopter’s fuselage incorporates two short lateral wings enabling external mounting of electro-optical or radar pods, mission equipment, and auxiliary fuel tanks, thereby extending range and mission flexibility. The UAV can carry multi-spectral sensors, laser designators, communication relay antennas, and maritime surveillance radars, depending on configuration. Structural adjustments include a strengthened tail boom, modified rotor assembly, and software-based control laws to stabilize vertical descent and correct yaw during automatic recovery phases. Electromagnetic compatibility shielding ensures the UAV can operate alongside shipborne sensors and radar without interference, while optimized avionics placement and vibration damping reduce mechanical stress during extended sea missions. The platform’s modular payload interface supports rapid reconfiguration between reconnaissance, relay, and light strike profiles.

The Zhongchuan Tansuo 01/CSSC Exploration 01 serves as China’s primary shipborne UAV experimental drone carrier, designed to test autonomous landing and recovery under operationally representative conditions. The vessel features a landing deck fitted with a grid structure compatible with the AR-500CJ’s harpoon capture mechanism, allowing engineers to monitor precision, touchdown dynamics, and post-landing loads. During the October 2025 sequence, the ship performed trials at varying speeds and headings to replicate corvette and frigate deck motions, providing data on system reliability in fluctuating aerodynamic and hydrodynamic conditions. Deck-mounted instrumentation recorded descent rates, stabilization accuracy, and the aircraft’s recovery precision. The ship’s onboard systems also assessed the UAV’s data transmission quality, line-of-sight stability, and control link redundancy under electromagnetic exposure from radar and communications antennas. Environmental monitoring verified the performance of anti-salt and anti-moisture coatings on both the UAV and its deck support system. These tests represented the intermediate stage between shore-based simulation and integration aboard PLAN warships.

The trial campaign on Zhongchuan Tansuo 01 was organized in incremental steps, starting with lower sea states and proceeding toward higher-intensity wave conditions and crosswinds. Each stage verified the guidance system’s redundancy, the wave-off safety logic, and the accuracy of the harpoon-grating capture alignment. Testing included both day and night operations, validating optical guidance systems in different visibility and spray conditions. Engineers recorded powerplant temperature variations, vibration amplitudes, and flight control surface deflections to calibrate flight parameters under maritime stress. Data collected from these runs refined the automated flare timing, descent rates, and yaw corrections required for precise deck landings. The ship’s test crew practiced recovery drills, establishing standard operating procedures for launch, approach, capture, and post-landing safety. Communications relay functions were simultaneously tested across multiple frequencies to confirm stable connectivity under electromagnetic interference. The campaign’s data provided baseline information for defining future PLAN UAV deck operation protocols for small and medium naval vessels, including corvettes and offshore patrol ships.

Within China’s unmanned helicopter development trajectory, the AR-500CJ represents a direct continuation of the AVIC AR-500B and AR-500C programs launched in the early 2020s. The original AR-500B achieved its first flight in 2020 as a lightweight shipborne UAV with an endurance of four hours, while the AR-500C demonstrated operations at altitudes above 5,000 meters and a service ceiling of 6,700 meters. The AR-500CJ combines these attributes into a navalized platform capable of operating autonomously at sea for extended durations. The Xuange family has since expanded, with the 2-ton-class Xuange-2000 offering larger payload capacity and autonomous route planning capabilities, and with the electric VTOL Xuange-E3000 and hydrogen-powered Xuange-E300A extending the series into civil logistics, surveillance, and rescue applications. At the 2025 Tianjin International Helicopter Expo, AVIC exhibited over 70 rotary-wing systems, including the Xuange-500CJ and related platforms such as the Z-20T, Z-18F, and Z-10ME. These developments coincide with the PLAN’s testing of the AI-enabled drone carrier Zhu Hai Yun and other autonomous naval systems such as underwater “Robo-Shark” drones.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.