First, this paper sets outs to discuss the image of the ‘flying machines’ as they appeared in late Qing science fiction. Subsequently, it outlines the possible sources of the authors’ knowledge (including travel diaries of diplomats, current affairs bulletins, missionaries’ current affairs and science journals, popular pictorial magazines, annotated reprints of ancient legends, etcetera). The last issue discussed is the clarification of how these means fuelled and restrained the development of late Qing science fiction.