China’s Lingkong Tianshing Technology has announced an ambitious project to develop a supersonic drone that will be capable of flying at speeds four times faster than the speed of sound. The drone, named Kuantianhou or Soaring Stone Monkey, is designed to revolutionize high-speed transportation and military technology.

During a press conference in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in southwestern China, the company revealed its plans to create the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is expected to be the fastest of its kind. This drone will exceed the speed of sound by four times, marking a significant leap in aerospace innovation.

The company is progressing rapidly in its project, with plans to conduct experimental flights as early as next year. The project aims to showcase China’s advancements in hypersonic technology, which is primarily associated with military applications but is now being adapted for commercial use.

In October of the previous year, Lingkong Tianshing had tested a prototype of a commercial aircraft that could fly almost twice as fast as the Concorde, the fastest commercial airplane to date. This prototype marked a significant step toward adapting supersonic technology for civilian use.

The Concorde, which held the title for the world’s fastest passenger aircraft, flew at twice the speed of sound. It could travel the 5,500-kilometer route between New York and London in just under three hours, while conventional airplanes like the Boeing 747 took about seven hours for the same journey. However, the upcoming supersonic drone from Lingkong Tianshing will fly at speeds four times that of sound, pushing the limits of what is possible in both aviation and aerospace technology.

The supersonic drone is expected to weigh approximately 1.5 tons and will be seven meters long. It will be powered by two detonation engines, enabling it to reach extraordinary speeds. Following successful experimental flights in the coming year, the company plans to begin prototype testing of the drone by 2030.

While hypersonic technology has traditionally been a military asset, international startups from the United States and Switzerland are now focusing on developing commercial supersonic and hypersonic vehicles. U.S. companies aim to build aircraft capable of flying five times faster than the speed of sound, while Swiss developers are exploring the potential use of hydrogen fuel in these high-speed vehicles. Despite years of testing, no country has yet produced a commercially viable supersonic aircraft. However, China appears to be ahead in this race, with its rapidly advancing plans for both military and civilian applications.