Chinese UAV/UCAV development
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ladioussupp
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Chinese reconnaissance and strike drone conducts test flight 09-01-2014
Source CCTV English, link:
China's reconnaissance and strike drone Rainbow No.4 has conducted a test flight and completed simulation target practice, marking a major step forward for China’s unmanned technology.
China's reconnaissance and strike drone Rainbow NO.4 has conducted a test flight and completed simulation target practice, marking a major step forward for China’s unmanned technology.
"The test flight was very successful today. During acceleration and deceleration, the drone kept taxing on a central line on the runway. It’s well positioned to carry out the subsequent missions," Li Pingkun, head of Rainbow No.4 Project, said.
Rainbow No.4, loaded with missiles and bombs, is always ready for a simulation target practice. The drone must be around airspace near its target to enable precise real-time reconnaissance or a sudden strike.
"To ensure sudden strike, we designed a very long wing of 18 meters, while the drone body is only 9 meters. This would improve its lift, and reduce drone weight," Li said.
The increasing use of unmanned drones raises the question of whether they would come to replace traditional military manned flights. The answer, according to experts, is that the technology for unmanned flights is still not developed enough.
"In the future, when the smart processing capability is more developed, unmanned drone may dominate military attack. But with the current technology, I don’t think it will be fully replaced manned technology. The current model is a hybrid of manned and unmanned military attack," Nie Haitao, deputy head of Chengdu Division, AVIC, said.
Experts say Rainbow No.4 is characterized by its invisibility, carrying capacity, fast speed, strong defense and attack.
As China’s technology improves, unmanned military drones such as these are set for further tests and development.
Source CCTV English, link:
China's reconnaissance and strike drone Rainbow No.4 has conducted a test flight and completed simulation target practice, marking a major step forward for China’s unmanned technology.
China's reconnaissance and strike drone Rainbow NO.4 has conducted a test flight and completed simulation target practice, marking a major step forward for China’s unmanned technology.
"The test flight was very successful today. During acceleration and deceleration, the drone kept taxing on a central line on the runway. It’s well positioned to carry out the subsequent missions," Li Pingkun, head of Rainbow No.4 Project, said.
Rainbow No.4, loaded with missiles and bombs, is always ready for a simulation target practice. The drone must be around airspace near its target to enable precise real-time reconnaissance or a sudden strike.
"To ensure sudden strike, we designed a very long wing of 18 meters, while the drone body is only 9 meters. This would improve its lift, and reduce drone weight," Li said.
The increasing use of unmanned drones raises the question of whether they would come to replace traditional military manned flights. The answer, according to experts, is that the technology for unmanned flights is still not developed enough.
"In the future, when the smart processing capability is more developed, unmanned drone may dominate military attack. But with the current technology, I don’t think it will be fully replaced manned technology. The current model is a hybrid of manned and unmanned military attack," Nie Haitao, deputy head of Chengdu Division, AVIC, said.
Experts say Rainbow No.4 is characterized by its invisibility, carrying capacity, fast speed, strong defense and attack.
As China’s technology improves, unmanned military drones such as these are set for further tests and development.
The name rainbow cracks me up, what's at the end of a rainbow? A missile with your name on it!
I also like the reporting flair of how the CH-4 has "invisibility".
Tianjin 2014 international UAV and model Exhibition
A three-day Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) show is being held in Tianjin Municipality, north China, from Friday.
Around 70 UAV-makers and research institutes are attending the exhibition, with the aim of grabbing a share of the growing market.
Nearly 100 UAV products, Chinese and international, are being displayed during the exhibition.
The exhibition highlights the growing role that UAVs can play in sectors beyond defense.
Zhang Yanhe, Director of Tianjin National Defense Science, Technology and Industry Association, said that the UAV industry had expanded rapidly in recent years, particularly with greater application of UAVs in the civilian domain.
Tian Kai, Chief Engineer of Tianjin Quan-Hua Times Spaceflight Technology Co., Ltd, echoed that view.
“Currently, the UAVs are embracing multiple breakthroughs in civil application in China,” said Tian.
He explained that apart from helping maintain a check on pollution, UAVs could potentially play a big role in terms of city surveying and mapping, coastal defense monitoring, border patrol, meteorological observation, geological exploration, disaster relief, anti-smuggling and counter-terrorism, etc.
Also in the news regarding the exhibition:
A home-made inflatable plane – describes as such by reporters but more likely an inflatable UAV - has become a star at its debut at the 2014 Tianjin International UAV and Model Exhibition, according to dahe.cn.
The "Sf-1" plane was invented by Zhang Bingyan, a retired official who lives in Xinxiang, Henan province.
The plane is made mostly of soft composite material and can be folded and put into a suitcase.
plane's average speed is 20 kilometers per hour, and it can fly at as high as 4,000 meters with a maximum load of 25 kilograms, said Zhang.
Its flexibility makes it impact-resistant, and it is unlikely to break even if it falls from the sky, Zhang added.
At a cost of 200,000 ($32,400) to 300,000 yuan ($48,600), the plane can be used for air photography, air surveys and remote monitoring.
Zhang said they have applied for an invention patent for the plane, which is expected to be approved in two months.
In the 1950s, American aircraft company Goodyear made an experimental aircraft called the Goodyear Inflatoplane, but the project was ultimately cancelled.
A three-day Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) show is being held in Tianjin Municipality, north China, from Friday.
Around 70 UAV-makers and research institutes are attending the exhibition, with the aim of grabbing a share of the growing market.
Nearly 100 UAV products, Chinese and international, are being displayed during the exhibition.
The exhibition highlights the growing role that UAVs can play in sectors beyond defense.
Zhang Yanhe, Director of Tianjin National Defense Science, Technology and Industry Association, said that the UAV industry had expanded rapidly in recent years, particularly with greater application of UAVs in the civilian domain.
Tian Kai, Chief Engineer of Tianjin Quan-Hua Times Spaceflight Technology Co., Ltd, echoed that view.
“Currently, the UAVs are embracing multiple breakthroughs in civil application in China,” said Tian.
He explained that apart from helping maintain a check on pollution, UAVs could potentially play a big role in terms of city surveying and mapping, coastal defense monitoring, border patrol, meteorological observation, geological exploration, disaster relief, anti-smuggling and counter-terrorism, etc.
Also in the news regarding the exhibition:
A home-made inflatable plane – describes as such by reporters but more likely an inflatable UAV - has become a star at its debut at the 2014 Tianjin International UAV and Model Exhibition, according to dahe.cn.
The "Sf-1" plane was invented by Zhang Bingyan, a retired official who lives in Xinxiang, Henan province.
The plane is made mostly of soft composite material and can be folded and put into a suitcase.
plane's average speed is 20 kilometers per hour, and it can fly at as high as 4,000 meters with a maximum load of 25 kilograms, said Zhang.
Its flexibility makes it impact-resistant, and it is unlikely to break even if it falls from the sky, Zhang added.
At a cost of 200,000 ($32,400) to 300,000 yuan ($48,600), the plane can be used for air photography, air surveys and remote monitoring.
Zhang said they have applied for an invention patent for the plane, which is expected to be approved in two months.
In the 1950s, American aircraft company Goodyear made an experimental aircraft called the Goodyear Inflatoplane, but the project was ultimately cancelled.
It is much to small to be modified from a manned helicopter and I do not remember a similar looking Chinese helicopter. It resembles an American small helicopter of half a century ago but with the technological developments since then and the difference in size the real connection will be slight.
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