Chinese-made military drone taken for high-altitude flight test

China's domestically-developed Cai Hong-4 ("Rainbow Four") unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was taken for a test flight this month from an airport located on a high-altitude plateau in southwest China.

File photo of China's domestically-developed drone Rainbow Four. [Photo: VCG]

This is first time that a Rainbow Four UAV has undergone high-altitude flight testing. The flight was designed to test the performance of the drone, particularly the performance of its engine.

Developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the military drone has been exported to a number of countries in the Middle East and Africa.

Equipped with satellite control and improved electronic payloads, the drone is capable of precisely striking a targeted area with a margin of error of less than 1.5 meters. The drone can also be configured for civilian purposes.

An upgraded version of the drone, the Rainbow Five, completed initial test flights last year.