How China’s CH-3D Drone Emerges as a Contender Against Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2

Chinese social media posts on October 6, 2025, revealed images of the AVIC CH-3D armed drone in flight tests, highlighting Beijing’s intent to challenge Turkey’s grip on the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone market. The photographs, reportedly from an AVIC test range and widely shared on platforms like Weibo, show a retractable landing gear and a SATCOM antenna, signaling a more sophisticated design than standard line-of-sight drones.

The CH-3D is designed for long-range operations, featuring approximately 20 hours of endurance, a 7,200-meter ceiling, and a cruising speed of nearly 280 km/h. Its payload includes a combination of precision-guided bombs and missiles, giving it flexibility for strike missions. By comparison, the Bayraktar TB2, a 700 kg-class platform, carries up to 150 kg of Roketsan MAM-series munitions and can remain airborne for up to 27 hours, slightly outperforming the CH-3D in raw endurance.

A major advantage of the CH-3D lies in its beyond-line-of-sight capability through SATCOM, allowing operators to manage missions over wider areas without relying on multiple relay stations. This makes it suitable for maritime patrols, border security, and expeditionary deployments, where extended reach is critical. Meanwhile, the TB2’s baseline model operates primarily with line-of-sight control, though the upgraded TB2S variant also includes SATCOM, closing part of this gap.

The drone’s retractable landing gear is another differentiator, reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency, which allows longer on-station times. In contrast, TB2 is optimized for rugged and austere field operations with fixed landing gear, emphasizing battlefield resilience over aerodynamic efficiency. The CH-3D’s design suggests that AVIC is targeting customers who prioritize mission range and operational flexibility over extreme endurance.

China appears to be aiming the CH-3D at markets where the TB2 has been highly successful, including Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Nations in these regions may find the CH-3D appealing due to state-backed financing, fewer political restrictions, and SATCOM-enabled strike capabilities at a competitive price. If AVIC can demonstrate reliable performance and export readiness, the CH-3D could attract buyers who want TB2-like effects without moving into larger, costlier drone classes.

Operationally, the TB2 has earned a proven battlefield reputation, excelling in distributed operations such as artillery hunting, ISR missions, and coordination with ground forces. The CH-3D, while newer, offers the potential to act as a theater-wide asset, capable of repositioning quickly and maintaining persistent surveillance over extended areas, thanks to its faster cruising speed and extended communications range. Both aircraft occupy the 700 kg class, but their payload ecosystems differ, with TB2 favoring lightweight precision munitions and CH-3D offering a wider variety of guided bombs and missiles.

As the global drone market evolves, the next year will be crucial in testing whether the CH-3D can match Baykar’s track record in reliability, combat telemetry, and integration into existing military systems. Success could see China chip away at TB2’s dominance, particularly in countries looking for affordable, SATCOM-enabled MALE drones, potentially reshaping the export market and defense partnerships in key regions.