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I wasn't sure if this should go in Aviation & Space or The Bar ...
In the news is mention of a Chinese 'kamikaze' drone being built for use by Russia. This drone is listed as a Bingo ZT-180 capable of carrying a 35-to-50 kg warhead (although, that weight range is awfully close to Shahed-136 warhead estimates of 30-to-50 kg). In all news reports, the Bingo drone is said to be "similar to the Iranian Shahed-136". Whether that similarity refers to the layout of the Iranian UAV or just to its one-way role is unclear.
So, does anyone have details on this ZT-180 loitering munition?
Pure speculation but I did wonder if the ZT-180 might be based on Bingo's earlier, twin-boomed BG-JX300 drone. That BG-JX300 had a payload of 80 kg and a range of 1,600 km ... so a slightly greater payload than the Shahed-136 but with a range nearer the middle of estimates for that Iranian loiterer (970-to-2,500 km).
I have found information to be rare on the brand-name Bingo and its products. The manufacturer is Xi'an Bingguo Intelligent Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. - also given as 'Xian Bingo', 'Xi'an Bingo', sometimes Bingo Smart, just Bingguo, or even Binguo. As the name suggests, the firm is located in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province). Based on a vague company profile, Bingguo is a small firm employing "1-49 people". All of their earlier product line was designated in a BG-xx style so the loitering munition may actually have a designation more like 'BG-ZT180'.
Xi'an Bingguo Intelligent Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. was established back in 2017 (but note that BG-MH30 development dates back at least to 2015). Some sources say Bingguo had RMB 50 million in capital on start up, others only RMB 10M. According to the Bingguo company profile on www-81uav-cn, the firm's margin is 0.00 yuan. So, I guess that means that they're hungry?
Bingguo claims an Australian 'branch' with connections to the Australian University Research Institute. AFAIK, the latter is a generic term from foreign student applications ... not a reference to a specific school. On the other hand, Bingguo has photos of a BG-V45 flying operations in Northern Territory. Basic Google searches for Bingguo in Australia produce no useful results.
Bingguo also claims that a "German R&D center is also under construction." Again, Google searches only produce results for State Commissioner Dai Bingguo. Nothing at all under 'drohne'. Anyway, just because I can't find it doesn't mean that info isn't out there.
Because details on Xi'an Bingguo UAVs are hard to find in the West, I'll summarize what I have found beginning with the next post.
As mentioned above, prior to the ZT-180, Xi'an Bingguo products all had 'BG' designations (presumably for BingGuo). The BG-30 designation is the simplest (and may be based on its transmission distance of 30 km). All other 'BG' designations have letter prefixes before their numbers.
Alas, I have no indication of what such prefixes stand for. It is tempting to suggest that the 'V' in BG-V45 stands for VTOL. But then why 'VT' for the BG-VT10? The 'X' in BG-X24 may be as simple as describing that quadcopter's cruciform layout in planform. But the 'JX', 'ME', or 'MH' prefixes are anyone's guess.
It is a little easier to play match-the-number with some of the 'BG' designations. These might be: BG-X24 (24 hour endurance); BG-30 (30x optical zoom or 30 km transmission); BG-V45 (45 kg MTOW); and BG-JX300 (300 m T/O and landing runs). But for the others ... who knows?
In the news is mention of a Chinese 'kamikaze' drone being built for use by Russia. This drone is listed as a Bingo ZT-180 capable of carrying a 35-to-50 kg warhead (although, that weight range is awfully close to Shahed-136 warhead estimates of 30-to-50 kg). In all news reports, the Bingo drone is said to be "similar to the Iranian Shahed-136". Whether that similarity refers to the layout of the Iranian UAV or just to its one-way role is unclear.
So, does anyone have details on this ZT-180 loitering munition?
Pure speculation but I did wonder if the ZT-180 might be based on Bingo's earlier, twin-boomed BG-JX300 drone. That BG-JX300 had a payload of 80 kg and a range of 1,600 km ... so a slightly greater payload than the Shahed-136 but with a range nearer the middle of estimates for that Iranian loiterer (970-to-2,500 km).
I have found information to be rare on the brand-name Bingo and its products. The manufacturer is Xi'an Bingguo Intelligent Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. - also given as 'Xian Bingo', 'Xi'an Bingo', sometimes Bingo Smart, just Bingguo, or even Binguo. As the name suggests, the firm is located in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province). Based on a vague company profile, Bingguo is a small firm employing "1-49 people". All of their earlier product line was designated in a BG-xx style so the loitering munition may actually have a designation more like 'BG-ZT180'.
Xi'an Bingguo Intelligent Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. was established back in 2017 (but note that BG-MH30 development dates back at least to 2015). Some sources say Bingguo had RMB 50 million in capital on start up, others only RMB 10M. According to the Bingguo company profile on www-81uav-cn, the firm's margin is 0.00 yuan. So, I guess that means that they're hungry?
Bingguo claims an Australian 'branch' with connections to the Australian University Research Institute. AFAIK, the latter is a generic term from foreign student applications ... not a reference to a specific school. On the other hand, Bingguo has photos of a BG-V45 flying operations in Northern Territory. Basic Google searches for Bingguo in Australia produce no useful results.
Bingguo also claims that a "German R&D center is also under construction." Again, Google searches only produce results for State Commissioner Dai Bingguo. Nothing at all under 'drohne'. Anyway, just because I can't find it doesn't mean that info isn't out there.
Because details on Xi'an Bingguo UAVs are hard to find in the West, I'll summarize what I have found beginning with the next post.
As mentioned above, prior to the ZT-180, Xi'an Bingguo products all had 'BG' designations (presumably for BingGuo). The BG-30 designation is the simplest (and may be based on its transmission distance of 30 km). All other 'BG' designations have letter prefixes before their numbers.
Alas, I have no indication of what such prefixes stand for. It is tempting to suggest that the 'V' in BG-V45 stands for VTOL. But then why 'VT' for the BG-VT10? The 'X' in BG-X24 may be as simple as describing that quadcopter's cruciform layout in planform. But the 'JX', 'ME', or 'MH' prefixes are anyone's guess.
It is a little easier to play match-the-number with some of the 'BG' designations. These might be: BG-X24 (24 hour endurance); BG-30 (30x optical zoom or 30 km transmission); BG-V45 (45 kg MTOW); and BG-JX300 (300 m T/O and landing runs). But for the others ... who knows?
