China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s 11th Academy said the domestically developed Light Cavalry small/medium pure-solar UAV completed its maiden flight at a northwest China airport on Nov. 11, 2026. The aircraft is powered solely by solar energy, has a maximum design endurance of up to 30 hours, is 3.2m long with an 8m wingspan, and uses a modular architecture to carry communications and remote-sensing payloads. It supports vehicle-mounted takeoff and requires about 20 minutes of

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s 11th Academy said the domestically developed Light Cavalry small/medium pure-solar UAV completed its maiden flight at a northwest China airport on Nov. 11, 2026. The aircraft is powered solely by solar energy, has a maximum design endurance of up to 30 hours, is 3.2m long with an 8m wingspan, and uses a modular architecture to carry communications and remote-sensing payloads. It supports vehicle-mounted takeoff and requires about 20 minutes of ground preparation for rapid deployment.