Qimingxing-50

In News 

• China’s first fully solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle has successfully completed its maiden test flight with all onboard systems functioning optimally.

About Qimingxing-50 or Morning Star-50

• It is a large machine powered entirely by solar panels and has wingspan of 164-ft
• The high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV can stay airborne for long durations. 
• It flies above 20-km altitude where there is stable airflow with no clouds. 
  • This helps these drones to make the maximum use of solar equipment to stay functional for extended durations. 

• The drone can operate in near-space – 20 km to 100 km above the Earth’s surface – making it capable of carrying out satellite-like functions. 
• It is capable of conducting high-altitude reconnaissance, apart from monitoring forest fires, providing communication and environment relay.

Source: IE