China’s sky monster: Giant 'drone carrier' takes first flight 

China just sent shockwaves through the global defence world. 

Its colossal Jiu Tian aerial “drone carrier” — essentially a flying mothership for swarms of drones — has completed its first flight, a moment state media is calling a “breakthrough in China’s large drone technology.”

The unmanned behemoth lifted off in Shaanxi province, according to Xinhua, showcasing what many analysts believe could redefine swarm warfare, anti-ship strategy, and high-altitude strike capability. 

The exact flight date wasn’t disclosed, but the message was clear: the era of giant drone carriers has arrived.

A flying aircraft carrier for drones

Designed by AVIC’s First Aircraft Institute, the Jiu Tian isn’t just another UAV — it’s a 16-tonne, 25-metre-wingspan beluga of the skies capable of carrying up to 100 small drones or loitering munitions, including so-called “kamikaze” (suicide) units.

These can be launched from racks along both sides of the fuselage, allowing mass deployment in seconds.

Chinese military analyst Song Zhongping said the Jiu Tian is essentially a drone carrier built for swarm attacks — the kind of “saturation strike” that can overwhelm even the most advanced air-defense systems.

“With numerical superiority, you can breach almost anything,” he said.

High altitude, heavy payload, global reach

Performance specs pushed by Xinhua are eye-catching:

• Ceiling: 15,000m (49,200 ft) — higher than most commercial jets

• Max take-off weight: 16 tonnes

• Payload: 6,000kg

• Endurance: 12 hours

• Range: 7,000km

Song says this enables attacks “from high to low, from fast to slow,” calling the capability “unique globally.”

Military power… and a civilian pivot

While clearly built with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) missions in mind — surveillance, electronic warfare, precision strikes — state media also emphasized civilian potential:

• Cargo delivery to remote islands

• Emergency communications restoration

• Disaster-relief deployments

• Mineral exploration and geographic surveys
  
  

'Low-altitude economy'

China has been pushing its “low-altitude economy” narrative hard, and the Jiu Tian’s dual-use branding fits squarely into that strategy.

Why this matters now

China is rapidly expanding its drone ecosystem — from plateau-ready strike helicopters to advanced anti-submarine UAVs — alarming Japan, the US, and South China Sea claimant states already racing to boost drone fleets.

The Jiu Tian’s maiden flight isn’t just an engineering milestone.

It’s a message: China’s drone swarm era is here — and it’s taking off fast.