Solar drone pushes limits in near-space

China will test how its largest solar drone performs near-space flight this year, the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics announced on Tuesday.

With a wingspan of more than 40 meters, wider than that of a Boeing 737 passenger plane, the Caihong, or Rainbow, series of drone has just passed its first full-scale test flight, according to Shi Wen, chief engineer of the CAAA drone project.

The drone is the second-largest solar-powered drone in the world, beaten only by a model by NASA, Shi said, adding that its performance index and technological capacity are among the most advanced in the world.