China's Caihong (CH), or Rainbow, solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the country's first near-space solar drone, has successfully conducted a flight at an altitude of 20 km.

 

中国首台近太空无人机、太阳能飞行器彩虹号，成功在海拔20公里的天空飞行。

 

The project team under China Aerospace¹ Science and Technology Corporation announced Tuesday that the CH UAV, flew smoothly² in near space for over 15 hours under control, finishing its scheduled path before landing securely.

 

FLY HIGHP The near space region, which lies 20 to 100 km above sea level, contains thin air that reduces the performance of traditional fuel-powered aircraft engines.

 

However, solar drones like the CH UAV can perform well in this area and it is expected that such aircraft may be able to fly continuously for months or even longer in the future, said Li Guangjia, director of the project.

 

The CH UAV, with a wingspan of 45 meters equipped with solar panels, boasts a high cost efficiency as it does not require refueling during long-term missions, said Shi Wen, chief engineer of the project.

 

Also, the solar-powered feature allows the UAV to generate no air pollution, making it environmentally-friendly, Shi said.

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