A Wing Loong-2 large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is examined before taking off from an airport in the city of Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 18, 2024. [Photo handout via Xinhua]

BEIJING -- China's independently-developed Wing Loong unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has successfully conducted typhoon warning reconnaissance for the first time in the country, according to its developer.

The large fixed-wing drone executed a series of tasks, including pre-typhoon warning reconnaissance and post-typhoon disaster assessment as Typhoon Wipha swept across southern China this week, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country's leading planemaker, said on Wednesday.

As the typhoon approached the coast of western Guangdong, the aircraft skillfully navigated through extreme conditions, including strong winds and torrential rain, to provide critical early warning information and pinpoint disaster locations ahead of the storm's landfall.

Its onboard synthetic aperture radar penetrated thick cloud and rain barriers to conduct real-time surveillance of key areas. The acquired reconnaissance data and imagery were transmitted immediately to the provincial emergency command center, providing vital information for assessing disaster risks, deploying defensive measures, and formulating flood control strategies, said AIVC.

Following the typhoon's path, the drone operated under extremely low visibility but successfully identified critical situations, including flooded roads and farmlands, as well as rising river levels. This information facilitated the deployment of rescue teams, the clearing of vital access routes, and the assessment of potential disaster areas.

Additionally, equipped with an airborne base station, the drone delivered stable, wide-area public communication network coverage to impacted regions.

It successfully delivered over 6,000 text messages, establishing a crucial "aerial lifeline" connecting the disaster zone with the outside world, according to AVIC.

Prior to the recent typhoon mission, Wing Loong had already successfully carried out multiple disaster-relief missions under extreme conditions, such as earthquakes and rainstorm disasters.