China’s Yaoying II (‘Sparrowhawk II’) medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has conducted its maiden flight, the Xinhua news agency quoted its developer, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), as saying on 5 July.
Described as a strike-capable, reconnaissance platform aimed at international markets, the Yaoying II, which has also been seen bearing the name Air Sniper on its fuselage, took to the skies on 3 July from Anshun Huangguoshu Airport in China’s southern Guizhou Province.
The six m-long, fixed-wing platform, which features a rear-mounted propeller and is fitted with at least one hardpoint under each wing, can fly at speeds of up to 230 km/h, has a flight endurance of 16 h, and a service ceiling of 7,500 m, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post ( SCMP ) newspaper reported, citing AVIC.
janes.com