China marks milestone with first home-certified airship pilots
With 44 orders for AS700 airships, China needs 100+ pilots—now it has four.
China has certified its first four domestically trained commercial airship pilots, marking a milestone for the country's low-altitude economy. Issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the licenses were awarded to pilots trained on the AS700 Xiangyun—a crewed airship developed by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The pilots completed over 400 take-off and landing drills following a CAAC-approved syllabus. The AS700 itself was certified for mass production at the end of 2024.
The certification comes amid an urgent talent shortage in the sector. AVIC has already secured 44 orders for the AS700, and with an industry standard of 2–3 pilots per aircraft, existing orders alone require roughly 100 certified pilots—demand that will only grow as China's low-altitude economy expands. While primarily designed for tourism, the airship's developers are also exploring uses in geological surveying and urban security, such as aerial patrols and traffic monitoring during major events.
- First four commercial airship pilots licensed by CAAC after completing 400+ take-off/landing drills on the AS700 Xiangyun
- AVIC's AS700 airship was certified for mass production end of 2024, with 44 orders already placed
- Existing orders require ~100 pilots (2-3 per aircraft), highlighting a critical talent gap in China's low-altitude economy
Why It Matters
China's domestic airship certification pipeline is critical to scaling its low-altitude economy amid severe pilot shortages.