China’s military deployed its high-altitude, long-endurance WZ-7 “Soaring Dragon” reconnaissance drone to conduct joint air-sea operations near the contested Scarborough Shoal for the first time. In joint drills organized by the PLA Southern Theater Command, the WZ-7 operated alongside early warning aircraft, fighter jets staged from multiple airfields, and surface naval flotillas to create an integrated reconnaissance-strike network. Powered by a distinctive joined-wing aerodynamic design, the WZ-7 provides real-time battlefield intelligence, electronic surveillance, and long-range targeting data for maritime strike assets across wide areas of the South China Sea. Chinese research publications and flight tracking reveal that earlier exploratory sorties near the shoal date back to early 2025, paving the way for regularized military integration.

Full report : PLA Escalates South China Sea Posture with Maiden WZ-7 Drone Mission Over Scarborough Shoal.