China’s commercial Mach-4 drone tipped to make first flight next year
As hypersonic tech enters commercial sector, Mach-4 drone looks set to fly next year while high-speed passenger jet expected to soar in 2030
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is being developed by Sichuan Lingkong Tianxing Technology as part of a broader effort to develop a supersonic passenger jet, according to the company. The company announced it was developing the aircraft at a news conference in Chengdu in southwest China on Monday.
It weighs 1.5 tonnes and measures seven metres (23 feet) long, and is powered by two detonation engines. It can reach a cruising speed of Mach 4.2 at an altitude of 20km (12.4 miles).
Supersonic technology has been a critical component of military hardware, and in recent years it has trickled down to the commercial sector.