Traditional firefighting drones have been revolutionized: a Tsinghua University alumnus has pioneered a ducted-fan aircraft that delivers ten times the thrust at the same size.

Author |  Zhao Siqi

Editor  |  Yuan Siliai

Hardcrunch has learned that recently, Weihang Technology completed a financing round worth tens of millions of yuan. A This round of financing was led by DH Capital Baifu and Zigong Chuangfa Group. The funds will be allocated to upgrading the ducted-fan flight platform, constructing a production base within the Zigong Aviation Industrial Park, and supporting early-stage R&D for several new low‑altitude emergency‑response products.

Weihang Technology was established in 2018 year 10 Yue is the first domestic provider of high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle systems featuring ducted fans, innovatively integrating high‑load electric ducted‑fan jet propulsion technology with… eVTOL Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft integration. The company’s first product, the “Aoqin,” is the nation’s first heavy‑payload tethered, power‑and‑fluid‑supplied ducted‑fan firefighting drone to have successfully completed testing commissioned by the Shanghai Fire Research Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Management, and it is initially deployed in the critical low‑altitude firefighting scenario of primary fire suppression in urban high‑rise buildings.

(Video source/Company)

Traditional rotor‑type UAVs, constrained by their power‑performance limitations, currently struggle to meet the demanding requirements of complex missions such as rescue operations, logistics, and manned flight in terms of payload capacity and endurance. Moreover, due to their aerodynamic configuration, rotors face inherent limitations in safety, noise levels, and structural compactness. In contrast, electric ducted‑fan propulsion technology delivers comparable thrust at the same size as conventional rotors. 5-10 times, with flight efficiency improved compared to rotorcraft. 40% Moreover, its features of high safety, low noise, and compact design have also become key to its large-scale deployment in urban settings.

This technology features extremely high barriers to entry; both the ducted-fan architecture and the development of its core underlying components require a specialized R&D team with aerospace‑engine expertise, setting it apart from the vast majority of industrial‑grade drone manufacturers currently on the market. Furthermore, achieving engineering‑scale implementation and completing the ducted‑fan UAV platform… Forward-looking R&D and industry “certification” Such companies are even rarer. The founding team of Weihang Technology all hail from Tsinghua University, 2015 In that same year, research and development of a ducted-fan propulsion unit was initiated, and, based on its achievements in this field, the team became the first Chinese research group to receive the Wright Brothers Medal. In addition, Weihang Technology has established an engineering and technology team led by a senior expert from a leading domestic systems integrator, to advance the processes of engineering development and productization.

In recent years, policies supporting the low-altitude economy have been introduced at a rapid pace; however, breakthroughs in propulsion technologies and urban operational systems remain elusive, leaving the industry still in its early stages of development. Low‑altitude firefighting is seen as the most readily implementable pilot application, with the global market for high‑altitude firefighting equipment valued at approximately… 300 hundred million yuan, nationwide over 90% County-level administrative districts have residential buildings exceeding 100 meters in height.

However, 50 Fire prevention and control in high-rise buildings exceeding 100 meters in height has become a global challenge. In conventional approaches, the length of a 100-meter-class aerial ladder fire truck… 16 Rice, vehicle weight 60 ton, turning radius 50 Meters, with poor maneuverability in urban environments, typically require 4 It takes hours to reach the scene; meanwhile, rotor‑type firefighting drones deliver only one‑tenth the flow rate of conventional fire trucks and can serve only as auxiliary firefighting tools.

To address the aforementioned pain points, Weihang Technology has launched “Aoqin,” the world’s first high‑altitude tethered firefighting drone system featuring a ducted fan. Centered on an electrically powered ducted‑fan flight platform, it is paired with a tethered power and fluid supply system and a dedicated firefighting chassis. This tethered power configuration enables prolonged hovering operations, while also achieving, for the first time, sustained operation at altitudes of up to 100 meters. 20-30 The sustained liquid flow rate is measured in liters per second, with firefighting performance comparable to that of top-tier aerial ladder‑equipped fire trucks. Furthermore, the rated takeoff weight reaches… 800 On the premise of weighing kilograms, the fully unfolded dimensions of the entire unit are only 4.3 Rice × 2.3 Rice, with the overall vehicle length kept within 10 Within meters, only requires 15 It takes only minutes to reach the scene, and within… 5 Initiate a high‑flow water spray at a height of 100 meters within minutes.

Through innovative technological approaches and scenario‑driven applications, Weihang Technology has achieved substantial commercial deployment in the low‑altitude domain. Its first product suite is already collaborating with the Zigong emergency‑firefighting team, engaging in ongoing communication and demonstrations focused on addressing specific needs, conducting scenario‑based testing, and validating intermediate processes. 7 month 22 Following the official launch of “Aoqin,” nearly… has already been recorded domestically. 20 Several fire departments, emergency response agencies, and petrochemical enterprises—among other prospective buyers—are currently in discussions regarding procurement and collaboration. In addition, the company has already received overseas letters of intent totaling… 10 Taiwan, with order values exceeding 100 million yuan.

(Image source) / Enterprise)

At present, the company has established a production base in Zigong, featuring a flexible manufacturing line that integrates in-house final assembly and flight testing, contract modification of firefighting chassis by a second-tier subsidiary within the state‑owned enterprise system, and outsourced processing of critical components. Current annual production capacity is approximately… 50-80 Tai, with subsequent expansion to hundreds of units.

Founder Li Ye told Hardkr that the company’s primary rationale for rapidly commercializing its solutions is to accumulate substantial flight‑control data and technical expertise through real‑world applications—thereby establishing a technological edge in the industry and laying the groundwork for future entry into the urban air mobility market, ultimately enabling manned “flying cars.”

Going forward, Weihang Technology will undertake modular redesigns of its core enabling technologies and universal flight platforms, launching platforms tailored to an expanding range of applications—including smart industrial parks, the petrochemical sector, water‑based and offshore drilling operations, and hybrid logistics transportation—thereby accelerating large‑scale commercial deployment.

Image source for the homepage | Provided by the company

Layout | Liu Siya