BEIJING (Realist English). China has successfully carried out the maiden flight of its latest long-endurance stealth unmanned aerial vehicle, the CH-7, marking another milestone in the rapid development of the country’s autonomous military systems.
State broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday that the high-altitude, high-speed CH-7 recently completed its first flight. According to the report, the drone combines stealth features with extended endurance and high cruising speed, allowing it to perform ground surveillance, provide data support and maintain communications in complex operational conditions.
The CH-7 will now undergo additional testing, including verification of its flight performance envelope and validation of onboard payload functions, CCTV said.
The CH series of drones is developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, a subsidiary of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), and is among China’s most successful UAV platforms on the international market.
First unveiled in 2018 as a full-scale model at the Zhuhai Airshow, the CH-7 initially sparked speculation that it was intended as a long-range reconnaissance and strike drone. A fully built aircraft was later displayed at last year’s airshow. Chinese officials now stress that the current version is designed solely for reconnaissance.
“The current version of the CH-7 is a high-speed reconnaissance aircraft,” Fang Shuai, one of the drone’s designers, told CCTV earlier this year.