The Teng Yun is a medium UCAV with a resemblance to the American MQ-9 Reaper. The 2019 defense budget allocated funds to build a significant number of Teng Yun systems.[1]
In 2018 a Teng Yun being tested was observed by residents of Taitung. Taiwan’s Air Force declined to procure the platform over concerns about the reliability of its electronic systems.[3] In response NCSIST introduced an improved model with enhanced thrust, greater-range, more payloads, an enhanced flight control system, and a triple-backup power system. NCSIST has announced that the improved the version of the Teng Yun would commence testing in Jan. 2020 with combat testing to be conducted in 2021.[4] Pictures of the improved version first surfaced in 2020. The improved version has a wider fuselage, a larger air intake, and more closely resembles the MQ-9 Reaper.[5] In June 2022 one of the improved variants, dubbed the Teng Yun 2, completed a ten hour test flight.[6]
Incidents
In February 2021 one prototype of the first generation Teng Yun crashed in Taitung Forest Park during a test flight.[7]