TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The second prototype of the indigenous Teng Yun 2 drone was seen flying near the Jiashan Air Force Base for tests, reports said Thursday (Dec. 23).

Tests on the first prototype were scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, but the Air Force found results were not up to scratch, so it ordered tests with a second prototype, the Liberty Times reported. Mass production of the Teng Yun 2 should start in 2023.

In September, testing for the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was transferred from Zhihang Air Force Base in Taitung County to the more isolated Jiashan Air Force Base. The second prototype made by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST, 中科院) reportedly included more advanced electronic surveillance and interference systems.

On its exterior, the second aircraft of the Teng Yun 2 type was equipped with more antennas and new landing gear, while it could also carry bombs. The TPE331 turboprop engine was still the same as the United States MQ-9 Reaper drone from General Atomics.

The NCSIST produced two drones of the Teng Yun 1 type in 2016 and started to develop two Teng Yun 2 UAVs in 2018. Tests on the latest model are expected to be completed sometime next year, according to the Liberty Times report.