Two domestically produced Teng Yun unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were spotted on Thursday (Nov. 5) at Chihhang (志航) Air Force Base in Taitung.
The drones are being developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST). Extensive testing started in early October, including flight endurance and night time reconnaissance capabilities.
A photo showing the two drones outside their hangars indicate they are first- and second-generation models of the Teng Yun, the report stated. The larger of the two UAVs had a slightly wider fuselage and a bigger air intake at the rear of the aircraft, resembling a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone.
The Tengyun UAV was developed by the Zhongshan Academy of Sciences and is similar to the 11-meter-long MQ-9 in the United States. According to data from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tengyun machine has functions such as multi-machine control, networked guidance and control, and real-time image transmission. It can perform sentiment search, surveillance, investigation, and environmental research during the day and night.
The National Zhongshan Academy of Sciences began to intensively evaluate large-scale Tengyun UAVs in Taitung in early October this year, including stagnation time and night reconnaissance. Although the United States recently announced the sale of four MQ-9 UAVs from Taiwan, the UAV evaluation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences will not be affected.
Source: Taiwan News