Staff members prepare for the maiden flight of the R6000 large tilt-rotor unmanned aircraft, independently developed by United Aircraft Group, in Shifang City, Deyang, Sichuan Province yesterday.

The aircraft has a cruising speed of 550 km/h, a maximum range of 4,000 kilometers, a service ceiling of 7,620 meters, and a maximum payload capacity of 2,000 kilograms. Promoted primarily as a civilian solution for cargo transport, passenger carriage, and emergency missions, the R6000 also has potential military applications.Xinhua