China: MOZI 2 solar-powered UAV successfully made its maiden flight.

A new solar-powered unmanned aircraft, the MOZI 2, completed its first successful test flight at an airport in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang on July 27, 2019.

MOZI 2 (Picture source: Oxai Aircraft)

According to the company Oxai Aircraft, MOZI 2 has a wingspan of 15 meters and is powered solely by solar cells. It can reach an altitude of 8,000 meters with a maximum cruise time of 12 hours at night following eight hours of charging in sunlight.

In addition to contributing to disaster relief scenarios, the solar-powered drone could be useful for reconnaissance missions and communication efforts.