Documents
China AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
WZ-7
A high-altitude long-endurance reconnaissance drone with a distinctive joined-wing (diamond) planform, developed by Guizhou (part of AVIC) for wide-area maritime and battlefield surveillance. Comparable in role to the U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk.
In service since 2018 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
750
km/h
7,000
km range
18,000
m ceiling
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2018. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 750 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 700 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 7,000 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 18,000 m |
| Endurance Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms, higher means longer persistent coverage. | 10 h |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 14.5 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 25 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 7,500 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 12,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 0 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 1x turbofan engine |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 1 |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | synthetic aperture radar, electro-optical/infrared sensor |
|---|---|
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | SATCOM |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 has a maximum speed of 750 km/h.
What is the range of the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 has a maximum range of 7,000 km.
How much does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 weigh? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 has a combat weight of 12,000 kg.
How many crew does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 require? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 requires a crew of 0.
What engine does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 use? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 is powered by the 1x turbofan engine.
What is the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 used for? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 is a uav / drone typically used for isr.
How many countries operate the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7 cost? +
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) WZ-7: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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