On May 23, 2026, the 600 kg‑thrust class F406 turbofan engine, independently developed by Sichuan Tianfu Light‑Duty Engine Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Tianfu Light Engine”), a subsidiary of Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), successfully completed its first flight test, installed in dual‑engine configuration on an advanced meteorological unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). During the flight, the engines operated normally and remained stable. After completing all scheduled flight maneuvers, the UAV returned safely and landed, marking a complete success for the maiden flight.
This first flight has preliminarily validated the engine‘s reliability and maturity under real flight conditions, signifying that Tianfu Light Engine has achieved a full closed loop – from core technology and product application to scenario deployment – in the field of high‑end UAV propulsion. It will provide strong power support for the development of the “low‑altitude economy” and the “unmanned systems infrastructure.”
The 600 kg‑thrust class F406 turbofan engine has fully independent intellectual property rights. It can operate stably at altitudes of up to 15 km and at speeds exceeding Mach 0.8, offering outstanding performance features such as long endurance and high reliability. The engine fills multiple technical gaps in China’s small‑to‑medium thrust turbofan engine sector and can be widely applied to various UAV platforms, including long‑endurance patrol, high‑altitude meteorological detection, and unmanned cargo transport.
Based on this, The 14th Annual China Aerospace Propulsion Technology Forum 2026 will be held on September 16–17 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. The forum aims to bring together the strength of the entire industry chain, promote breakthroughs in key technologies, and foster collaborative innovation among industry, academia, and research. As a time‑honored and authoritative professional event in the field of aero engines and propulsion systems in China, the China Aerospace Propulsion Technology Forum operates under a unique mechanism of rotating hosting among the major manufacturing plants of AECC (Aero Engine Corporation of China). The forum has been held successively in major aero‑engine hub cities such as Xi‘an, Chengdu, Changsha, and Shenyang.