China’s commercial Mach-4 drone tipped to make first flight next year

A Chinese start-up has said its superfast drone – capable of reaching four times the speed of sound – will make its first flight next year as military hypersonic technology trickles down to the commercial sector.
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is being developed by Sichuan Lingkong Tianxing Technology as part of a broader effort to develop a supersonic passenger jet, according to the company. The company announced it was developing the aircraft at a news conference in Chengdu in southwest China on Monday.

The drone bears the name Cuantianhou, which means “soaring stone monkey” – a name given to Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, one of the best-known figures in Chinese literature and mythology.