Is China’s “Wing Loong-1E” Drone a US Army “Grey Eagle” Drone Copycat?

Video Above: Waging War on Enemy Drones

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

The People’s LIberation Army Air Force is now flying a new large drone which appears to be a copycat of the US Army’s well-known Grey Eagle drone.

China’s Wing Loong-1E Drone

Upon announcing that a new drone has taken flight, the Chinese-government backed Global Times newspaper said the new Wing Loong-1E drone will have more “range, endurance, efficiency and reliability” when compared with its predecessor.

The new Wing Loong-1E just made its maiden flight recently, a development which adds a new drone to China’s family of Wing Loong drones built by state owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

“The Wing Loong-1E is still distinguishable as a Wing Loong-1 drone, but it made some changes to aerodynamic design, including adding upward-pointing winglets to the tip of the main wings like a Wing Loong-2,” the paper says.

In an apparent effort to lighten the weight of the drone, and increase speed and endurance, Chinese developer are making the new drone almost entirely by composite materials.