Dream Aerospace Technology DF600 (prototype)

(Photo credit: Dream Aerospace Technology)

DF600 (prototype)
Dream Aerospace Technology
Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
website unknown

Please remember, it is known that information originating from China is sometimes sparse, incomplete or inaccurate. The information we provide here is either from company news reports or online articles. We do know that China is promoting what they call the "low-altitude economy" (in the US, it's known as advanced air mobility or AAM). China's low-altitude economy includes both crewed and uncrewed passenger and air cargo electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft.

Dream Aerospace Technology is in the business of designing and manufacturing long-range heavy-lift air cargo electric and hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The company is located in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.

DF600 long-range heavy-lift air cargo hybrid-electric VTOL prototype aircraft
The DF600 is a long-range heavy-lift air cargo hybrid-electric VTOL prototype aircraft. The aircraft is flown by either remote piloting, autopilot, autonomous piloting or a combination of the three.

The company has not revealed many of the specifications of the aircraft such as the cruise speed, flight time or cruising altitude. However, the range of the aircraft using only battery packs is expected to be 150-200 km (62-124 m). The company anticipates batteries to have a higher energy density in the future and the range of the all battery power source by 2030 is foreseen to be 400 km (249 miles). The range of the aircraft with a hybrid-electric power source is forecasted to be 1,000 km (621 m).

The aircraft has two tilt-propellers for forward and VTOL flight and are located at the ends of the high main wing. There are four VTOL-only propellers located on booms attached under the main wing and are parallel to fuselage. The aircraft has six electric motors. The aircraft can be powered by all batteries or use a hybrid-electric power source. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite to give the aircraft a high strength to low weight ratio.

On January 9, 2025, the company announced they successfully completed the first test flight of a ton-class tilt-propeller liquid hydrogen powered VTOL aircraft. Dream Aerospace Technology expects serial production of the aircraft to begin in 2025.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Long-range heavy-lift air cargo hybrid-electric or electric VTOL prototype aircraft
• Piloting: Remote, autopilot, autonomous or a combination of the three
• Capacity: Air cargo
• Cruise speed: Unknown
• Range (electric): 150-200 km (62-124 m)
• Range (hybrid-electric): 1,000 km (621 m)
• Maximum payload weight: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
• Propellers: 6 propellers (2 tilt-propellers, 4 VTOL-only propellers)
• Electric motors: 6 electric motors
• Power source: Hybrid-electric power source
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Wings: 1 main high wing
• Tail: 1 V-tail with a downward vertical stabilizer
• Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) uses multiple propellers or electric ducted fans, each powered by electric motors, to increase safety through redundancy. If one or more components fail, the remaining ones can still ensure a safe landing. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure.

Resources:

• Article: China’s first tonne-level liquid-hydrogen-powered eVTOL aircraft completes test flight, Gasgoo, Jan. 15, 2025
• Article: A review of 100 Chinese low-altitude economy companies and 35 domestic eVTOL companies!, ChatPlas, Feb. 20, 2025