(Photo: NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)
A Chinese WZ-7 reconnaissance drone was spotted flying over Philippine waters, marking the first time the spy drone has been seen near the archipelago.
According to Raffy Tima, a journalist for local broadcaster GMA, the drone was seen flying over the West Philippine Sea, a portion of the South China Sea that Manila claims as part of its exclusive economic zone.
GMA News reporter @raffytima was able to photograph what apparently is a Chinese WZ-7 high altitude reconnaissance drone amidst BFAR’s LAYAG-WPS in the West Philippine Sea.
The likely WZ-7 drone was apparently monitoring the Philippine activity in the WPS. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/DPRVCUBI7V— Keen Sentinel (@Keen_Sentinel) April 18, 2024
By the time he took the photo, Tima was on assignment covering a project supporting local fishing communities in the area.
The drone's presence—recognizable by its distinct joint-wing design—suggested Beijing's surveillance of US activities in the Philippines.
Defence Blog reported that the appearance of the drone coincided with the arrival of the US Army's Typhon ground-based missile system in Luzon, the country's largest island. It could also be speculated that the spotting also coincided with India's delivery of the first batch of its BrahMos missile system to the Philippines.
Details on the WZ-7 remain limited, but public estimates indicated that the drone has a range of approximately 4,350 miles (7,000 kilometers), a service ceiling exceeding 60,000 feet (18,288 meters), and a loiter time of at least 10 hours.
Tima did not immediately respond to HNGN's request for comment.
