China - Recent China's all-electric manned airship AS700D completes first test flight (Voice_over) The Aviation Industry Corporation of China has just completed a series of take-off and landing tests on its new all-electric manned blimp, the AS700D. The AS700D airship is an electrified version of the company's non-rigid AS700, replacing its aviation engine and fuel system with a lithium-battery electric drive system, propeller system, thrust-vector control and cooling system. (Sound_bite) Zhou Lei, AS700 chief designer, Special Vehicle Research Institute, Aviation Industry Corporation of China: "It is a research airship designed for the development of our new energy technology. Its main advantages lie in its environmental friendliness, zero emissions, and lower noise. Based on its performances observed during the maiden flight, we will arrange research trial flight and trial flight specially designed to test its performances.” (Voice_over) Developers say the new airship will be used in nature reserves or other ecologically sensitive areas, as well as for scenarios that involve large crowds, like concerts or marathons. The ship can fly at a maximum altitude of 3,100 meters, and a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. It can carry up 10 people including the pilot. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]