China has marked a significant advancement in aerospace technology with the successful flight test of its first domestically developed, ultra-lightweight miniature turbojet engine, primarily manufactured using 3D printing. The Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) announced the milestone on Thursday, revealing that the engine powered a target drone for a 30-minute flight, reaching an altitude of 6,000 meters and a speed of Mach 0.75. The engine demonstrated stable and reliable performance throughout the test. This achievement follows an earlier captive-carry flight test conducted in July 2025, further validating the engine’s capabilities in higher altitudes and complex environments. The engine, which falls within the 160-kilogram thrust class, utilizes multi-disciplinary topology optimization and 3D printing technologies to achieve its lightweight and high-performance design. Over 75% of the engine’s weight consists of 3D-printed rotating parts, significantly reducing the number of components, lowering weight, and simplifying maintenance. This breakthrough paves the way for future developments targeting higher altitudes and greater speeds, while also accelerating China’s progress in independent research and manufacturing of aviation propulsion systems.