Chinese drones assist African mine surveying

Operation in Zambia marks aircraft's first overseas mission for exploration

Chinese unmanned aircraft have made the first drone-sbased aerial survey of mineral resources in Africa, according to the drones' producer.

The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics refitted several of its best-selling CH-3 midrange combat/reconnaissance unpiloted planes to be the world's first deployable mine-survey drones and have been using them to prospect for mineral resources in the southern African country of Zambia since mid-July.