Four Times the Speed of Sound: China’s Cuantianhou Shows Mach-4 Supersonic Drone
27th Jan 2025
Lingkong Tianxing Technology, a Chinese startup, has proudly unveiled its new commercial drone, the Cuantianhou, which can reach Mach-4 speeds. This drone, unveiled a few days ago, has caught the attention of netizens from various regions, all wondering how a drone can fly four times the speed of sound.
A Mach-4 Drone
There currently aren’t any commercial drones capable of flying twice the speed of sound. Such achievements are more common with larger flying vehicles like military jets and other research aircraft from NASA and Boeing.
The development of Cuantianhou by Lingkong Tianxing Technology is a remarkable one, as the Chinese startup aims to make this Mach-4 drone available for commercial use. Cuantianhou marks the start of Lingkong Tianxing Technology’s goal to develop supersonic jets for usage in the Chinese aviation industry.
Last year, Lingkong Tianxing Technology tested flight for a commercial plane design that is capable of flying at speeds double that of the Concord. However, the Chinese startup claims that their new drone, Cuantianhou, is also capable of flight at speeds more than double that of the Concord.
Despite the fact that the development of this drone is already complete, its first test flight will not take place until 2026. This might give Lingkong Tianxing Technology time to perfect the design of Cuantianhoun’s design, hence preparing it for commercial usage.
Being a drone, Cuantianhou falls into the category of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This means that flying this drone will be remote, with no need for a pilot to mount the 1.5-tonne aircraft.
Chinese Startup Mach-4 Drone Resounds The Nation’s Advancement In Supersonic Technology
Over the past few years, various countries worldwide have been making significant advancements in supersonic technology. The majority of these countries apply these technological advancements in the military.
Cuantianhou’s development for commercial usage reveals China’s advancements in its supersonic technology space. The technology used in the development of Cuantianhou might be put to use not only in the commercial space but also in the military space.
The speed of Cuantianhou is reported to be between Mach 3.3 and Mach 4 while maintaining impressive fuel economy. The folks at SCMP report that Cuantianhou consumes only 13.2 pounds of fuel over a 31-mile flight.
By next year, the aviation industry will be able to witness the abilities of this Chinese startup drone. Its application in real-world usage will also become clear by this time.
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