(Photo: CGTN)

One hundred drones in the Wing Loong family passed checks in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, after the medium-altitude long-endurance Wing Loong I-D successfully completed its maiden flight two days ago, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Tuesday.

The delivery has set a new export record for China's high-end drones, marking a milestone for the development of the homegrown technology under the nation's initiative of military-civilian integration.

Due to its multifunctionality and high performance, the Wing Loong family has served customers with various needs. Its success gives China a competitive edge in the high-end drone market as a latecomer, offering more opportunities for the technology to serve international users.

A white paper, released by China's aviation industry at this year's Air Show, indicated the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market is the most dynamic area of the world aviation industry thanks to the various application scenarios. 

The global market for UAVs has increased 30 times compared to 20 years ago, and it is expected to maintain an annual growth rate at over 20 percent in the next decade, with the total market value reaching 400 billion US dollars.