A Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer, Tsingaero Armaments, unveiled their drone, the JZ-550, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which took place in Russia from June 5-8.
SPIEF is Russia’s main economic forum, and every year, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, participates.
This time, all attendees could see a Chinese JZ-550 UAV placed near the entrance to the forum.
The JZ-550 is a product of Tsingaero, a synchrocopter with rotors angled to each other.
In March 2024, the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency claimed that Tsingaero had plans to start manufacturing UAVs in Tatarstan, but later removed the claim.
The JZ-550, which was unveiled at SPIEF, has the ability to put out fires using special equipment, but other products from Tsingaero Armaments may also be used for military purposes.
The Tsingaero website claims that the UAV JZ-150 can perform both civil and military missions in a variety of scenarios, with intelligence, communication, electronic jamming equipment, and various weapons and ammunition on board.
In February 2024, the EU imposed new sanctions on Russia, expanding the list of items that are restricted and could contribute to Russia’s defence and security. The list includes components for the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
