This gigantic Chinese airship flies on solar power for up to six months at a time

It might not be as huge as the upcoming Aeroscraft ML866 airship , but China’s largest aircraft ever also isn’t just a work in progress – this thing actually flies the skies. The Yuanmeng (which means “dream”) embarked upon its maiden flight this month, launching from Xilinhot in Inner Mongolia to test its systems and capabilities. According to reports, the 75-metre-long airship’s 48-hour test flight last week saw the airship rise to a near-space altitude of 20 kilometres.
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