The drone has a range of 60 miles and can reach an altitude of nearly 10,000 feet, according to Gen. Julio Morales, head of the state-run Cavim arms manufacturer that developed the aircraft.

They can stay aloft for up to 90 minutes and can transmit real-time video and images, and they are currently being upgraded in order to carry out night flights, he said.

The 3-by-4-meter drone was part of a system “exclusively for defense” aimed at surveillance and the monitoring of pipelines, dams and other rural infrastructure, Morales said.

Another official said the drone was made from components manufactured in Venezuela and assembled by military engineers trained in Iran.

Cavim is currently developing factories to manufacture rifles, grenades, gunpowder and ammunition. Chavez hailed the recent development — with Russian aid — of a factory to make AK103 assault rifles.

“We have the right (to manufacture weapons),” Chavez said. “We would not if we were a colony, but we are a free and independent country.”

When completed, the factory is expected to produce 25,000 rifles and 70 million rounds of ammunition a year.

Chavez, who has been recovering from nearly a year of cancer treatment, plans to seek a new term in elections later this year.

Chavez, in power since 1999, has been a vocal opponent of what he refers to as U.S. “imperialism” in Latin America, and he has boasted of close ties with American foes such as Iran and Cuba.