Key facts
- China deployed its WZ-7 high-altitude reconnaissance drone in the South China Sea for the first time.
- The drone was used during joint air and naval exercises near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Sunday.
- The People's Liberation Army's Southern Theatre Command announced the drills.
China deployed its advanced WZ-7 high-altitude reconnaissance drone in the South China Sea for the first time during joint air and naval exercises near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Sunday. The People's Liberation Army's Southern Theatre Command announced the drills, which took place in the waters and airspace around the shoal.
The WZ-7 drone, a high-altitude long-endurance reconnaissance platform, was reportedly seen at a southern China military base during the exercise. Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, has been a focal point of territorial disputes in the region.