Wing Loong I
Chengdu's Wing Loong I (Yilong-1) is China's first MALE UCAV: a functional clone of the MQ-1 Predator, it opened the low-cost armed drone export market and has been used in Libya, Yemen, Nigeria and Iraq by operators denied access to US systems.
Wing Loong I
Chengdu's Wing Loong I (Yilong-1) is China's first MALE UCAV: a functional clone of the MQ-1 Predator, it opened the low-cost armed drone export market and has been used in Libya, Yemen, Nigeria and Iraq by operators denied access to US systems.
Community
Data trust
- Reliability
- Unverified
- Sources
- Sources pending review
Identity
- Designation
- Wing Loong I
- Alias
- Yilong-1 / GJ-1 (Gong Ji-1) / Pterodactyl I
- Manufacturer
- Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG / AVIC)
- Country
- China
- Year
- 2014
- Category
- UCAV (Combat UAV)
- Class
- MALE (Medium-altitude / long-endurance)
- Status
- In service
Performance
- Range
- 4000 km
- Endurance
- 20 h
- Top speed
- 280 km/h
- Service ceiling
- 7,500 m
- Propulsion
- Pistone Rotax 914F, 100 hp
Physical characteristics
- MTOW
- 1100 kg
- Payload
- 200 kg
- Hardpoints
- 2
- Weapons
- AKD-10 ATGM, BA-7, FT-7/9 SDB, YZ-200 cluster
Onboard systems
- Sensors
- EO/IR torretta, SAR opzionale, designatore laser
- Datalink / control
- LOS C-band + SATCOM (varianti export)
- Launch
- Decollo da pista
- Recovery
- Atterraggio su pista
Tags
Main operators
History
First flight in October 2007 and entered PLA service in 2014. Developed as China's answer to the Predator after the US refused to export the MQ-1 to Middle East customers.
Widely exported: the UAE used it in Libya against GNA forces (2019-2020), Saudi Arabia in Yemen, Nigeria against Boko Haram. Unit cost around USD 1 million makes it the most widespread MALE UCAV outside the NATO orbit.