China has established a new UAV flight testing facility located in Tibet, at more than 4000 m, to test the high altitude performance of its various UAVs.
The facility, taking advantage of the Tibet Plateau’s sufficient amount of flat areas, has a series of advantages in the testing of UAVs at high altitude.
While any other test facility can perform high-altitude flight tests, having a runway at 4000+ m altitude provides the benefit of takeoff and landing tests at a condition where the air density, thus lift, is lower. Additionally, the UAVs can climb to higher altitudes in a shorter time, which saves time and money.
However, this test facility might serve a deeper purpose. China is known to have ground forces in high-altitude regions, which are more difficult to locate and attack. Adding UAVs that are optimised to operate at the mountain level would provide increased surveillance and strike capabilities.
Global Defense Insight’s report of a prototype UAV named Ali Yundun 1 tested in this facility supports this. UAVs to operate at high altitudes need wings that provide higher amounts of lift (Which can be achieved by larger area and alternative control surface layouts) and engines with powerful turbochargers to ensure a supply of dense air.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor:Özgür Ekşi
