---
title: "Not-So-Friendly Skies: China Conducts Drone Strikes via Satellite"
description: "The official Xinhua News Agency reports that China can now conduct drone strikes from 1,000 km away, putting it on par with the U.S."
date: "2016-06-13"
modified: "2016-06-13"
authors:
  - name: "Jelor Gallego"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jelor-gallego"
url: "https://futurism.com/not-so-friendly-skies-the-chinese-can-now-conduct-drone-strikes-via-satellite"
categories:
  - "Drones"
  - "Robotics"
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "china"
  - "drone"
  - "Military drones"
  - "military technology"
---

# Not-So-Friendly Skies: China Conducts Drone Strikes via Satellite

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Chinese-Drones-Make-Key-Breakthrough-Firing-on-Command-by-Satellite-A-1.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Futurism M.A\</em\>*

It's no secret that [China has been developing drone technology](<https://futurism.com/chinas-new-armed-drone-helicopter>)—and not merely for benevolent reasons. The People's Republic of China has been ramping up its development of drone technology geared at a military purpose.

And they have just unveiled a new milestone.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported that China has conducted live fire tests with two[ CH-4 UAVs](<http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/01/14/meet-chinas-killer-drones/>). The catch: the pilots were 1,000 km away. This means Chinese pilots on Chinese soil could fire missiles from a drone anywhere in the world.

![undefined](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ch-4_ucav.jpg>)
*The CH-4. China Defense Forum*

Previously, Chinese-made drones relied on direct line-of-sight communications with their ground control station, meaning the pilot had to have line-of-sight with the drone. [But this test beefs up Chinese capability considerably](<https://futurism.com/china-is-preparing-for-drone-warfare>).

The CH-4 is a 1,300 kg UAV with a 345 kg payload and a 35-hour flight endurance at 4,000 m altitude. It is comparable to a US MQ-9 Reaper. Also, one of the drones tested is a CH-4 UCAV with an electro-optical sensor turret that has a 1080p digital camera capable of finding a man-sized target 20 km away and inertial guidance in case of degraded satellite navigation signals.