Northwestern Polytechnical University has conducted what could be China’s first openly reported autonomous aerial refuelling flight test, according to scientists involved in the project.
Two unidentified unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were used in the refuelling tests. One served as the tanker with a refuelling pod and the other as the receiver.
high-speed formation flights, the receiver autonomously located, tracked and docked with the tanker under extreme conditions using a highly robust vision-based navigation system.
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The development is particularly significant because of the institutional link between the university and China’s advanced drone programme Jiu Tian, a heavy-duty unmanned platform that can carry more than 200 loitering munitions.
With an official range of 7,000km (4,350 miles), Jiu Tian cannot reach the continental US from Chinese bases. But when combined with in-flight refuelling, its effective strike radius could double, placing major east coast cities – from Washington to New York and Miami – within plausible reach.
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Soon after Jiu Tian took its maiden flight on December 12, Northwestern Polytechnical University released a statement confirming its critical role in the programme.