The Y-12F atmospheric comprehensive aerial survey aircraft completed its full-subject demonstration flights in Harbin on October 27. The project, which is part of a national key research and development initiative, aims to achieve high-sensitivity detection of pollutants and cloud water chemistry.
The demonstration phase began on October 10. During this period, the aircraft completed 12 flights totaling nearly 30 hours. The missions included emission flux measurements, vertical profile detection, stratus cloud observation, and atmospheric remote sensing, covering various weather conditions.
Development of the aircraft started in 2024, with the maiden flight taking place in July 2026. Led by Peking University, the project involved integrating over 60 specialized mission devices into the Y-12F platform, which was modified by AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group.
The Y-12F is an 8-ton class general-purpose turboprop aircraft. It holds the distinction of being the only domestic civil aircraft model to receive type certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the US Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
