The successful first flight of a 1:4 scale experimental model of the large cargo freight drone White Whale Route W5000.

According to the "WeChat Jiangsu" news, recently, the 1:4 scale experimental model of the White Whale W5000 large cargo unmanned drone successfully made its first flight in Qianqi, Inner Mongolia, marking the countdown to the first flight of the full-size aircraft of this model, and a major breakthrough in the domestic regional air cargo transportation field. Currently, the W5000 is undergoing gradient taxi tests, and it is expected to complete software system interoperability testing by the end of April. In terms of future development plans, the White Whale W5000 has a clear goal: to start the assembly of the second full-size W5000 aircraft in April 2026; in terms of airworthiness certification, the company plans to submit the airworthiness declaration by the end of 2023, formally accepted by the Shanghai East China Bureau in March 2024, and expects to complete the airworthiness certification process in the first half of 2027.