Errymath: UAV

Analysis: Chinese drones UAVs at military parade Beijing China October 2019

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<a href="https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/focus-analysis-photo-report-aviation-defence-industry/aviation-defence-industry-technology/5496-analysis-china-exhibits-advanced-drones-in-military-parade-part-2.html?fbclid=IwAR1WjcjsUi0TpbGulAmc50L_NIGgKmGoFOpCrhytri5E-RspPInF_EdAKu0" target="_blank">Aviation defence industry technology</a><br />
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During the military parade in Beijing, 
China, which was held during the celebrations marking 70 years of the 
founding of the People's Republic of China, military unmanned aerial 
vehicles (UAV) of China were showcased among other miliary equipment in a
 parade. Here is the complete list and analysis of Air Recognition 
editorial team of these UAVs and drones shown during the military parade
 in order of appearance, on October 1, 2019.</div>
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<img alt="Analysis China exhibits advanced drones in military parade complete list 01" class="image-article" height="616" src="https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2019/october/Analysis_China_exhibits_advanced_drones_in_military_parade_-_complete_list_-_01.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" width="925" /><strong><strong>WZ-8 "Dark Sword" high-altitude reconnaissance drone (Picture source: Air Recognition)</strong></strong></div>
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The weaponry includes reconnaissance drones in multi-range and multi-altitude areas.</div>
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Among them, a high-altitude high-speed 
reconnaissance drone, the only all black-coating UAV in the parade, made
 public appearance for the first time.</div>
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The phalanx showcases the new-type 
combat force in the future warfare and all these aerial armaments 
reviewed are domestically-developed, said Dang Dongxing, a military 
official of one of the phalanxes, noting that China's unmanned combat 
armaments are close to or have reached the world-leading level in some 
aspects.</div>
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The hypersonic  WZ-8 "Dark Sword" UAV 
was unveiled. It could likely be able to fly at a high-supersonic speed 
and have stealth capabilities, military analysts said. They added that 
the new drone has small wings and is shaped like a dagger. It is meant 
to be launched in the air via a bomber or transport aircraft.</div>
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The drone could provide more reliable 
reconnaissance data than satellites. The biggest advantage of the drone 
is that it can effectively gather intelligence in real-time in a 
controllable way compared to other platforms like satellites, Wu Jian, 
editor of Defense Weekly under Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News, was 
quoted as saying by Global Times.</div>
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<img alt="Analysis China exhibits advanced drones in military parade complete list 02" class="image-article" height="616" src="https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2019/october/Analysis_China_exhibits_advanced_drones_in_military_parade_-_complete_list_-_02.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" width="925" /> <strong> JY-203 (Picture source: Air Recognition)</strong></div>
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The <a href="https://www.armyrecognition.com/china_chinese_unmanned_aerial_ground_systems_uk/jy-203_uav_unmanned_aerial_vehicle_sar_system_data_sheet_specifications_description_pictures_video.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>JY-203 UAV</strong></a>
 system is a reconnaissance system based upon Synthetic Aperture Radar 
(SAR) sensor (Ku band), which is installed on UAV (Unmanned Aerial 
Vehicle), and also on broad range of other aircraft - turbo-prop, jet, 
or helicopter. JY-203 system can keep constant imaging resolution within
 the entire effective detection area, and has certain penetration 
characteristics, under the influence of light, dust, smoke, fog, cloud 
and temperature. It is featured with a large detection area and long 
detection range.</div>
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<img alt="Analysis China exhibits advanced drones in military parade part 2 01" class="image-article" height="616" src="https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2019/october/Analysis_China_exhibits_advanced_drones_in_military_parade_-_part_2_-01.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" width="925" /> <strong>Aisheng BZK-008</strong> <strong>(Picture source:<strong> news.cn</strong> )</strong></div>
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The Aisheng BZK-008 UAV (also 
called CH-91) is designed to carry out tasks related to reconnaissance 
of the terrain and airspace, the implementation of observation and 
patrol missions, aerial photography and aerial photography of the 
terrain, and monitoring and control.<br /><br />The CH-91 is a fixed-wing 
UAV in twin-boom layout with an inverted v-tail and a pair of skids as 
landing gear. Propulsion is provided by a two-blade propeller driven by a
 pusher engine mounted at the rear end of the fuselage.<br /><br />The CH-91
 has a maximum takeoff weight of 210. It can fly at a maximum speed of 
320 km/h and has a cruising speed of 210 km/h at a maximum distance of 
410 km/h with a maximum altitude of 5,100 m.</div>
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<img alt="Analysis China exhibits advanced drones in military parade complete list 03" class="image-article" height="616" src="https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2019/october/Analysis_China_exhibits_advanced_drones_in_military_parade_-_complete_list_-_03.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" width="925" /> <strong>Sky Saker FX500</strong> <strong>(Picture source: Air Recognition)</strong></div>
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The Sky Saker FX500 reconnaissance UAV 
system, by Norinco, adopts high-speed UAV platform of low RCS (Radar 
Cross-Section) propelled by turbojet engine. It is equipped with GPS and
 INS combined navigation system, laser illuminator and can be loaded 
with such airborne mission equipment as multi-purpose opto¬electronic 
reconnaissance equipment, synthetic aperture radar and digital camera, 
etc. as required. It has a payload capacity of 50 kg and an endurance of
 2 hours. The Sky Saker FX500 can fly at a maximum speed of 800 km/h. 
With high altitude penetration, it can perform penetration at an 
altitude of up to 9,000 m.</div>
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The Sky Saker FX500 can be equipped with
 various mission payloads, such as GPS+INS combined navigation system, 
TV reconnaissance equipment, forward-looking IR reconnaissance 
equipment, laser illuminator, synthetic aperture radar, digital camera 
and information transmission equipment, etc.</div>
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<img alt="China exhibits advanced drones in military parade 05" class="image-article" height="516" src="https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2019/october/China_exhibits_advanced_drones_in_military_parade-05.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" width="925" /> <strong> Wing Loong II (Picture source: news.cn)</strong></div>
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The <a href="https://www.armyrecognition.com/china_chinese_unmanned_aerial_ground_systems_uk/wing_loong_ii_2_uav_male_armed_drone_data_pictures_video_11906174.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Wing Loong II</strong></a>
 UAV MALE is developed primarily for the export market and is intended 
for surveillance and aerial reconnaissance missions. The Wing Loong II 
is an improved version of the Wing Loong 1 UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)
 in the category of MALE (medium-altitude Long-Endurance) designed and 
manufactured in China by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China 
(AVIC). Compared with Wing Loong I, the Wing Loong II has an optimized 
aerodynamic design, an improved airframe and upgraded airborne systems, 
featuring better capabilities in terms of flight, payload and 
information capacity.</div>
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The Wing Loong II UAV MALE is powered by
 a turbocharged engine, driving a three-bladed propeller, mounted at the
 rear section. It can fly during 20 hours and has a maximum speed of 370
 km per hour. The Wing Loong II has an operational radius of 1,500 km 
and that it is equipped with a satellite communications system.</div>
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It has a maximum payload capacity of 400
 kg. It is able of carrying up to 12 laser-guided bombs or missiles with
 a total weight of 480 kilograms. The Wing Loong 1 can carry only two 
bombs or missiles with a combined weight of 100 kg. At Zhuhai Air Show 
2016, the Wing Loong II was shown with different types of bombs and 
missiles as the FT-9/50 50kg bomb, GB3 250 kg laser-guided bomb, TL-10 
bomb and more. The electro-optical payload pod, fitted under the forward
 section of the fuselage, is integrated with day/night and infrared 
cameras and sensors to collect surveillance and targeting data in both 
day and low-light / night conditions.</div>
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<img alt="Analysis China exhibits advanced drones in military parade complete list 04" class="image-article" height="616" src="https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2019/october/Analysis_China_exhibits_advanced_drones_in_military_parade_-_complete_list_-_04.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" width="925" /> <strong>GongJi GJ-11 "Sharp Sword" stealth attack drone (Picture source: Air Recognition)</strong></div>
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Another new drone on display in Beijing 
was the GJ-11 "Sharp Sword" long-range stealth attack drone, which is 
based on the American-made B-2 strategic bomber, and is designed to 
strike targets deep in enemy territory without being detected.<br /><br />The
 design of the Chinese-made GJ-11 "Sharp Sword" seems very similar to 
the American-made X-47B from Northrop Grumann and the 
Russian-made Okhotnik (Hunter) which has performed its first successful 
maiden flight on July 2019.<br /><br />The GJ-11 is part of a unmanned 
aerial vehicle program launched in China by Shenyang Aircraft Design 
Institute (SYADI) of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and 
Shenyang Aerospace University. The Sharp Sword is jet-powered and has a 
wingspan of 14 meters. It's not yet known the precise mission Sharp 
Sword is assigned, but possible missions would including reconnaissance 
and eventually combat missions. On Nov 21 2013, Sharp Sword conducted a 
20-minute long maiden flight from HAIG's airfield.</div>
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<img alt="Analysis China exhibits advanced drones in military parade complete list 05" class="image-article" height="616" src="https://www.airrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2019/october/Analysis_China_exhibits_advanced_drones_in_military_parade_-_complete_list_-_05.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" width="925" /> <strong>ASN-301</strong> <strong>(Picture source:<strong> Air Recognition</strong>)</strong></div>
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The <a href="https://www.armyrecognition.com/idex_2017_official_online_show_daily_news/defense_industry_of_china_unveils_asn-301_anti-radiation_uas_unmanned_aerial_system_at_idex_12602173.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>ASN-301</strong></a>
 is a delta-wing aircraft with a pusher propeller that looks virtually 
identical to the Harpy. It is designed to fly into hostile airspace and 
loiter until it detects a radar, at which point it homes in on the 
target and destroys it. The ASN-301 has a flying time of 4 hours and a 
range of 280 km. Rather than holding a separate high-explosive warhead, 
the drone itself is the main ammunition. The warhead contains a total of
 7,000 fragment and has a destructive range of 20 m.</div>
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It can either operate fully 
autonomously, or it can be controlled by a remote operator. It is 
designed to attack radar systems and is optimized for the SEAD 
(Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) role.</div>
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Analysis: Chinese drones UAVs at military parade Beijing China October 2019

Aviation defence industry technology During the military parade in Beijing, China, which was held during the celebrations marking 70 ye...

Chinese scientists are trying to develop drones that can fly without the help of a satellite

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmm_hwCnfMVyytywtSTrFN5RnfPBAf4bBslunc0E_G6VV3WLRX9f0gc1SIXE1aw9UFgfLNTB27Ax5D9OYu-QEkVv2dnhY-kmrzKTqMYiwOOnxX2BupvmsUEF93S5meTtSpEbpd2LFk1Mc/s1600/Chinese+scientists+are+trying+to+develop+drones+that+can+fly+without+the+help+of+a+satellite..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmm_hwCnfMVyytywtSTrFN5RnfPBAf4bBslunc0E_G6VV3WLRX9f0gc1SIXE1aw9UFgfLNTB27Ax5D9OYu-QEkVv2dnhY-kmrzKTqMYiwOOnxX2BupvmsUEF93S5meTtSpEbpd2LFk1Mc/s640/Chinese+scientists+are+trying+to+develop+drones+that+can+fly+without+the+help+of+a+satellite..jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Photo: AP<br />
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Scientists
 and engineers in southern China say they have developed technology that
 will allow drones to navigate accurately without satellite guidance.</div>
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Most
 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) rely on systems such as China’s BeiDou 
or America’s GPS to find their way around, but signals can be jammed or 
weakened.</div>
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Military
 drones can be equipped with terrain-contour matching software and 
guidance systems such as gyroscopes to watch their speed and direction 
and use that information to work out their position from point of 
take-off.</div>
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But
 these systems are too bulky, complex and expensive for commercial 
drones. At the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology in Guangdong 
province, Professor Zhou Yimin and her colleagues think they have a 
simple solution to a weighty problem.</div>
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They
 developed software that can fix an object on the ground, such as a 
tree, from a series of images taken by a video camera aboard the drone. 
The data is combined with the readings from the UAV’s movement sensors 
and a flight path coordinated.</div>
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According
 to a patent filed by Zhou’s team in July, the system had to overcome a 
problem – an industry standard camera takes 30 frames per second, far 
more than the computer aboard a typical drone can process.</div>
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To
 solve the problem, Zhou allowed the computer to “cherry-pick” the 
photos it used for ground reference. She wrote an algorithm that would 
quickly look over the images and single out those with helpful 
landmarks.</div>
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This
 could also mean that the tree could be blurred by motion or blocked 
from view by a building. But the drone would fly on and its sensors 
would correct its course when observations resumed.</div>
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Zhou could not be reached for comment on her team’s findings.</div>
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On
 Monday, a scientist at the institute in Shenzhen – home to some of the 
world’s biggest drone producers – confirmed the development but would 
not talk about the accuracy and effective range of the system because of
 its possible military sensitivity.</div>
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<img alt="Engineers are seeking alternatives to satellite navigation for commercial drones. Photo: Nvidia" class="wrapper__img preview-img-item img--landscape" data-src="https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2019/10/12/2c7b903e-ea81-11e9-9e8e-4022fb9638c4_1320x770_173002.jpg" data-v-af28954e="" src="https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2019/10/12/2c7b903e-ea81-11e9-9e8e-4022fb9638c4_1320x770_173002.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /></div>
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Engineers are seeking alternatives to satellite navigation for commercial drones. Photo: Nvidia</div>
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Professor
 Zhao Long, digital navigation centre director with the Beijing 
University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said it was becoming 
possible for small drones to fly without satellite help thanks to the 
maturity of alternative technology and the falling cost of hardware.</div>
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US-based
 company Nvidia launched a similar project in 2017, while this year 
Everdrone, a Swedish company, completed the first autonomous journey 
between two hospitals in Gothenburg using a UAV with limited GPS help.</div>
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“But there are still some environments in which they [drones] cannot fly,” Zhao said.</div>
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This may including night-time flights where UAV cameras struggle to find reference points.</div>
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Out-of-the-box
 commercial drones using GPS, BeiDou, Europe’s Galileo or Russia’s 
Glonnas receivers will not navigate in no-fly zones near sensitive 
facilities such as airports and government buildings.</div>
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But governments and armed forces were already preparing for GPS-free drones, Zhao said.</div>
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The
 latest anti-drone systems consist not only of a device to jam satellite
 signals, but also have low-frequency sound monitors, highly sensitive 
radar and powerful lasers to locate and destroy intruders.</div>
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“[So] I don’t see a reason why alternative guidance technology should be barred from civilian [use],” Zhao said.</div>
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<i>This <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3032213/chinese-scientists-create-landmark-spotting-navigation-system" target="_blank">article</a> appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: new drone navigation system may rival GPS</i></div>
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Chinese scientists are trying to develop drones that can fly without the help of a satellite

Photo: AP Scientists and engineers in southern China say they have developed technology that will allow drones to navigate accurate...

The Next Space Race: Is America Ready For Chinese Space Drones?

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 Flying Cloud uav, concept from CASIC's 3rd Academy<br />
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 Feiyun solar-powered drone<br />
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In a major breakthrough, China has unveiled a formidable new 
high-altitude drone that could give its military a significant 
advantage.<br />
<br />
Designed to operate in “near space,” 12.5 miles above sea level or 
higher, China’s new drones can break through air defenses, avoid radar 
detection, and collect valuable intelligence while staying well beyond 
the range of anti-aircraft fire.<br />
<br />
Operating at these heights has been a challenge that has long eluded 
engineers. Dubbed a drone “death zone” as the air at this elevation 
makes it difficult to generate lift and extremely low temperatures cause
 electrical equipment like batteries to fail.<br />
<br />
Until now, the U.S. military’s <a class="externalLink" href="http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-5-most-lethal-drones-all-time-12326" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RQ-4 Global Hawk</a>
 has been the highest-flying drone, operating at altitudes of 60,000 
feet. But in a recent test, Chinese engineers surpassed that, flying an 
experimental drone at 82,000 feet.<br />
<br />
At a research facility in Inner Mongolia, two drones were attached to a 
weather balloon and deployed at 30,000 feet and 82,000 feet. Roughly the
 size of a bat and weighing about as much as a soccer ball, the drones 
were launched by an electromagnetic pulse sling shot that catapulted 
them out at 60 mph.<br />
<br />
The drones coasted to targets over sixty miles away, automatically 
adjusting their flight path and sending data back to a ground station. 
Most notably, due to their small size, they were barely detectable on 
radar during their test flight.<br />
<br />
The drones were equipped with several sensors, including a terrain 
mapping device and an electromagnetic signal detector that would allow 
it to pinpoint military troops. However, the drones could not carry 
cameras, as that would require a bulky antenna to transmit photo or 
video data, which would throw off its delicate aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
Its wings and body are seamlessly blended into a flat, tailless design 
that generates lift in the thin atmosphere of near space. Some models, 
like the two recently tested, do not have engines, instead drifting to 
their targets like a glider.<br />
<br />
“The goal of our research is to launch hundreds of these drones in one 
shot, like letting loose a bee or ant colony,” Professor Yang Yanchu, 
the head of the project from the Chinese Academy of Sciences,<a class="externalLink" href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2117709/china-tests-new-spy-drones-near-space-death-zone?utm_source=edm&utm_medium=edm&utm_content=20171031&utm_campaign=scmp_china&emarsys=1&sc_src=email_2060322&sc_llid=1157&sc_lid=146777614&sc_uid=CdSb7QuJVI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> told</a> the <i>South China Morning Post</i>.<br />
<br />
Militaries have long sought to take advantage of near space as it offers
 an opportunity to gather intelligence over large-areas without the 
costs or vulnerabilities of satellites.<br />
<br />
As advanced militaries increasingly rely on satellites for everything 
from intelligence to communications to missile guidance, they have 
become <a class="externalLink" href="http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/how-china-would-win-war-against-america-kill-washingtons-21879" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">high-priority targets</a>
 during wartime, and are difficult to defend. Therefore, having near 
space vehicles capable of gathering intelligence, relaying data, and 
serving as a backup or even replacement satellites would be invaluable.<br />
<br />
But so far no country has been able to operate in near space, as most 
aircraft cannot fly at such high altitudes and it is too low for 
satellites.<br />
<br />
China has been actively developing new technology that would allow it to
 operate in this largely uncontested new frontier with its Scientific 
Experiment System of Near Space, a pilot program led by the Chinese 
Academy of Sciences.<br />
<br />
In June, China test<a class="externalLink" href="https://www.popsci.com/china-solar-powered-drone" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> flew</a>
 a solar-powered drone at 65,000 feet. The massive drone, dubbed the 
Caihong-T4, has a wingspan of 130 ft and is designed to stay aloft for 
months at a time with minimal supervision.<br />
<br />
Not to be outdone, NASA currently holds the record with its Helios Prototype, which<a class="externalLink" href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-068-DFRC.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> soared</a> to nearly 97,000 feet on solar power.<br />
<br />
But unlike these prototypes and current high-altitude drones which cost 
millions of dollars, China’s newest high-flying drone would <a class="externalLink" href="http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-coming-drone-wars-headache-the-making-american-foreign-21662" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">only cost</a> a few hundred yuan.<br />
<br />
With these cheap, stealthy high-altitude drones, China has leapt ahead in the near space race.<br />
<br />
<i>Eugene K. Chow writes on foreign policy and military affairs. His work has been published in </i>The Week, Huffington Post<i>, and </i>The Diplomat<i>. This article first appeared in 2017.</i><br />
<br />
<br /></div>

The Next Space Race: Is America Ready For Chinese Space Drones?

Flying Cloud uav, concept from CASIC's 3rd Academy Feiyun solar-powered drone In a major breakthrough, China has unveiled a f...

New drone Yaoying-2 makes maiden flight

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<br />
A Chinese home-grown strike drone made its maiden flight on <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2153963/chinese-firm-eyes-overseas-market-strike-drone-yaoying" target="_blank">Tuesday</a>, 
according to its developer, state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of
 China.<br />
<br />
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The Yaoying-2 can carry out civilian tasks such 
as surveying and mapping, but also has military uses, including 
counterterrorism operations, Avic said on Thursday.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Along with other strike drones exported by China
 – such as the Rainbow series and Wing Loong – the company is eyeing the
 international market for its unmanned aerial vehicle, which it calls 
the “Air Sniper”.</div>
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</h3>
<div class="v2-processed">
Tuesday’s flight left from Anshun Huangguoshu 
Airport in southwestern Guizhou province, Avic said, without giving 
further details.</div>
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<img alt="6cda599cceb5f047ef594f147a05af98.jpg" class="bbCodeImage LbImage" src="https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/6cda599cceb5f047ef594f147a05af98-jpg.484051/" /> </div>
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<span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-none" style="clear: none; display: inline-block; float: none; width: 486px;"><img class="caption lazyload-processed magic-processed loaded" data-ignore="true" data-original="https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/07/05/575d030a-803d-11e8-8c40-58d9485981d4_972x_193300.JPG" data-resolution="2" src="https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/07/05/575d030a-803d-11e8-8c40-58d9485981d4_972x_193300.JPG" title="Tuesday’s flight left from Anshun Huangguoshu Airport in southwestern Guizhou province. Photo: Handout" /><span class="image-caption hover-processed" style="display: block;"></span></span></div>
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<img alt="947d2d7243f340c58def5f863390176f.jpg" class="bbCodeImage LbImage" src="https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/947d2d7243f340c58def5f863390176f-jpg.484056/" /><br />
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<img alt="947d2d7243f340c58def5f863390176f.jpg" class="bbCodeImage LbImage" src="https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/947d2d7243f340c58def5f863390176f-jpg.484056/" /><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="v2-processed">
The six-metre drone can fly at speeds of up to 
230km/h at an altitude of 7,500 metres, which is in the middle to high 
range compared with its peers. It can stay in the air for 16 hours, with
 controllers up to 200km away, according to the developer.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
The drone is based on the Yaoying-1, which was 
developed by the same company in 2011 for civilian uses such as 
surveying and mapping.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
The new model can provide real-time images and 
monitor information for use in scenarios such as firefighting, as well 
as land resource surveys, according to the company.</div>
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</h3>
<div class="v2-processed">
China Aerospace Science and Technology 
Corporation, which developed the Rainbow series, put the value of export
 deals for such strike drones at around US$700 million, without 
elaborating.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
The state-owned company made the estimate in a 
document submitted for a Chinese science award early this year. Its 
Rainbow 4 is sold for US$4 million, and such drones have been used by 
overseas buyers for counterterrorism and border inspection missions, 
according to the document.</div>
<br /></div>

New drone Yaoying-2 makes maiden flight

A Chinese home-grown strike drone made its maiden flight on Tuesday , according to its developer, state-owned Aviation Industry Corporat...

Drones that look and move like real birds

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Hi-tech drones that look and move like real birds have already flown<br />
<br />
If you’ve ever looked up to the sky and enjoyed the sight of a bird 
gliding above, be warned: it could be a Chinese drone monitoring your 
every move.<br />
<div class="v2-processed">
The
 idea might seem far fetched, but robotic birds are very much a reality,
 and China has been using them to surveil people across the country.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Sources told the <i>South China Morning Post</i>
 that more than 30 military and government agencies have deployed the 
birdlike drones and related devices in at least five provinces in recent
 years.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
One part of the country that has seen the new technology used extensively is the <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2148566/revealed-advanced-surveillance-tech-used-chinas-police" shape="rect">Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region</a>
 in China’s far west. The vast area, which borders Mongolia, Russia, 
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, is 
home to a large Muslim population and has long been viewed by Beijing as
 a hotbed for separatism. As a result, the region and its people have 
been subjected to heavy surveillance from the central government.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
The new “spy birds” programme, code-named 
“Dove”, is being led by Song Bifeng, a professor at Northwestern 
Polytechnical University in Xian, capital of northwestern China’s 
Shaanxi province. Song was formerly a senior scientist on the J-20 
stealth jet programme and has already been honoured by the People’s 
Liberation Army – China’s military – for his work on Dove, according to 
information on the university website.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Yang Wenqing, an associate professor at the 
School of Aeronautics at Northwestern and a member of Song’s team, 
confirmed the use of the new technology but said it was not widespread.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
“The scale is still small,” compared to other types of drones in use today, she told the <i>South China Morning Post</i>.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
“We believe the technology has good potential 
for large-scale use in the future … it has some unique advantages to 
meet the demand for drones in the military and civilian sectors,” she 
said.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Unlike unmanned aerial vehicles with fixed wings
 or rotor blades, the new drones actually mimic the flapping action of a
 bird’s wings to climb, dive and turn in the air.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Another researcher involved in the Dove project 
said the aim was to develop a new generation of drones with biologically
 inspired engineering that could evade human detection and even radar.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
<br /></div>
<div class="v2-processed image no-float">
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image init-colorbox-processed-processed cboxElement" href="https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/826bd86c-7608-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_image_hires_204148.jpg" rel="gallery-43802378-744c-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143"><span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-none" style="clear: none; display: inline-block; float: none; width: 486px;"><img class="caption lazyload-processed magic-processed loaded" data-ignore="true" data-original="https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/826bd86c-7608-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.jpg" data-resolution="2" height="414" src="https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/826bd86c-7608-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.jpg" title="China’s “spy birds” programme is being led by Song Bifeng, a professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xian and a former senior scientist on the J-20 stealth jet programme." width="640" /><span class="image-caption hover-processed" style="display: block;"></span></span></a></div>

<div class="v2-processed">
The machines in China’s current robot flock 
replicate about 90 per cent of the movements of a real dove, the person 
said, adding that they also produce very little noise, making them very 
hard to detect from the ground, and are so lifelike that actual birds 
often fly alongside them.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
The team conducted almost 2,000 test flights 
before deploying the drones in real-life situations, said the 
researcher, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the 
programme.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
One experiment in northern China’s Inner 
Mongolia involved flying the birds over a flock of sheep – animals that 
are well known for their keen sense of hearing and ability to be easily 
spooked. The flock paid no attention whatsoever to the drone flying 
above, the person said.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Although the technology is still in its early 
stages of development, its wide range of possible uses – not only for 
the police and military, but also in the fields of emergency response 
and disaster relief, environmental protection and urban planning – means
 the market for the drones could be worth 10 billion yuan (US$1.54 
billion) in China alone, the researcher said.</div>
 
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image init-colorbox-processed-processed cboxElement" href="https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/6e4fdbdc-7516-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_image_hires_204148.JPG" rel="gallery-43802378-744c-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143"><span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-none" style="clear: none; display: inline-block; float: none; width: 486px;"><img class="caption lazyload-processed magic-processed loaded" data-ignore="true" data-original="https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/6e4fdbdc-7516-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" data-resolution="2" height="329" src="https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/6e4fdbdc-7516-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" title="One experiment involved flying the bird drones over a flock of sheep to see how they would react. Photo: Northwestern Polytechnical University" width="640" /><span class="image-caption hover-processed" style="display: block;"></span></span></a></div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Humans have been obsessed by the idea of flight 
since the dawn of time. And in the century or so since Wilbur and 
Orville Wright briefly took to the skies at Kitty Hawk, engineers and 
scientists have been trying to decode the secrets of bird flight to 
improve aircraft performance.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Birds are incredibly efficient fliers. The 
bar-tailed godwit, for instance, despite weighing only 290 grams (10 
ounces) flies 11,000km (6,800 miles) non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand
 every autumn. The epic journey takes just eight days.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
In comparison, the Dove drones weigh 200 grams, 
have a wingspan of about 50 centimetres (20 inches), and can fly at 
speeds of up to 40km/h (25mph) for a maximum of 30 minutes.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Each machine is fitted with a high-definition 
camera, GPS antenna, flight control system and data link with satellite 
communication capability. The flapping mechanism comprises a pair of 
crank-rockers driven by an electric motor, while the wings themselves 
can deform slightly when moving up and down, which generates not only 
lift but also thrust to drive the drone forward.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Specially designed software helps to counter any
 jerky movements to ensure the on-board camera achieves sharp images and
 stable video.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
The Dove drones’ ability to seemingly melt into 
the background has attracted a lot of interest in military and 
government circles.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Professor Li Yachao, a military radar researcher
 at the National Defence Technology Laboratory of Radar Signal 
Processing in Xian, said the movement of the Dove’s wings was so 
lifelike it could fool even the most sensitive radar systems.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
The use of camouflage – perhaps even real 
feathers – on the drone’s outer body could distort the radar signature 
still further, he said.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed image no-float">
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image init-colorbox-processed-processed cboxElement" href="https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/d0b7326e-7513-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_image_hires_204148.JPG" rel="gallery-43802378-744c-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143"><span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-none" style="clear: none; display: inline-block; float: none; width: 486px;"><img class="caption lazyload-processed magic-processed loaded" data-ignore="true" data-original="https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/d0b7326e-7513-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" data-resolution="2" height="320" src="https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/d0b7326e-7513-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" title="Each of China’s bird drone is fitted with a high-definition camera, GPS antenna, flight control system and data link with satellite communication capability. Photo: Northwestern Polytechnical University" width="239" /><span class="image-caption hover-processed" style="display: block;"></span></span></a></div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Aware of the dangers such stealth drones pose to
 conventional detection systems, radar scientists have been looking at 
new ways to spot and track small, low-altitude targets flying at slow 
speed.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
These include the holographic radar, which is 
capable of producing three-dimensional images of flying objects and has 
been hailed as a significant step forward in detection technology.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
However, “there is no guarantee” that even a 
holographic radar – or any of the other new technologies in development –
 would be able to detect a drone with a wing-flapping pattern that was 
almost identical to those found in nature, and “especially if it was 
surrounded by other birds”, Li said.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
“It would be a serious threat” to air defence systems, he said.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
The Dove is not the only avian drone to have 
been developed in China. In 2012, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and 
Astronautics released “Tian Ying”, a robotic bird about the size of an 
eagle.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Also, according to information on government 
websites, the Harbin Institute of Technology, China’s top university for
 defence research, is developing a bird drone with a large wingspan and 
the ability to operate in the thin air found on high plateaus.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
But China is not alone in developing robotic birds</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
In 2013, the US Army bought more than 30 drones 
from Florida-based Prioria Robotics that were designed to look like 
birds of prey.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Their likeness to raptors was only cosmetic, however, as they were propelled by turbofans and their wings did not move.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
A far more convincing robotic raptor, 
appropriately named “Robird”, has been developed by Dutch tech firm 
Clear Flight Solutions. Although it looks and flies like a real bird, 
the drone, which is currently available only for demonstration purposes,
 requires an operator for take-off and landing, and its battery lasts 
less than 10 minutes.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
According to the company’s website, the device’s primary use is scaring birds away from airports and crops.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
<br /></div>
<div class="v2-processed image no-float">
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image init-colorbox-processed-processed cboxElement" href="https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/7f967de6-7512-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_image_hires_204148.JPG" rel="gallery-43802378-744c-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143"><span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-none" style="clear: none; display: inline-block; float: none; width: 486px;"><img class="caption lazyload-processed magic-processed loaded" data-ignore="true" data-original="https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/7f967de6-7512-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" data-resolution="2" height="380" src="https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/7f967de6-7512-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" title="“Robird”, developed by Dutch firm Clear Flight Solutions, looks and flies like a real bird, but requires an operator for take-off and landing. Photo: YouTube" width="640" /><span class="image-caption hover-processed" style="display: block;"></span></span></a></div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
In 2011, Germany’s Festo Corporation developed 
“SmartBird”, a robotic herring gull that had the ability to take-off, 
fly and land without the need for human intervention.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Although it was one of the most lifelike robotic
 birds ever built, it was never released to the market and the company 
was cited by <i>Science</i> magazine as saying it had no interest in making the technology available for military applications.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
According to a recent government document seen by the <i>Post</i>, China’s military has tested the Dove system and is impressed with it.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
An evaluation of the system by an unspecified 
military research centre concluded that the drone, with its ability to 
stay in the air for more than 20 minutes and travel 5km, had “practical 
value”.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Gan Xiaohua, chief engineer at the PLA Air Force
 Equipment Research Institute in Beijing, said Dove’s unique design 
meant it could convert electrical power into mechanical force with “high
 efficiency”.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
It is “the world’s only bionic micro drone 
capable of carrying out a mission all by itself”, he was quoted as 
saying in the government document.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed image no-float">
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image init-colorbox-processed-processed cboxElement" href="https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/7d97b8f8-7507-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_image_hires_204148.JPG" rel="gallery-43802378-744c-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143"><span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-none" style="clear: none; display: inline-block; float: none; width: 486px;"><img class="caption lazyload-processed magic-processed loaded" data-ignore="true" data-original="https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/7d97b8f8-7507-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" data-resolution="2" height="640" src="https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/24/7d97b8f8-7507-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_972x_204148.JPG" title="Germany’s Festo Corporation developed “SmartBird”, a robotic herring gull that had the ability to take-off, fly and land without the need for human intervention. Photo: Festo" width="558" /><span class="image-caption hover-processed" style="display: block;"></span></span></a></div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Although the <i>Post</i> was unable to reach project leader Song for comment, in an April interview with the Chinese academic journal <i>Aeronautical Manufacturing Technology</i>, he confirmed that Dove and other devices had been deployed in Xinjiang and other provinces.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
“The products … have stimulated change and 
development in sectors including environmental protection, land planning
 … and border patrol,” he was quoted as saying.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Despite the technological advances made on the Dove project, China’s bird-like drones were still far from perfect, Song said.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Besides being unable to travel long distances or
 maintain course in strong winds, their performance could be badly 
hampered by heavy rain or snow, he said.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
Also, the absence of an anti-collision mechanism
 meant the drones were prone to crash into things when flying at low 
altitude, while their electronic circuitry was vulnerable to 
electromagnetic disturbance.</div>
 
<div class="v2-processed">
Nevertheless, researchers were working hard to resolve these problems, and with advancements in <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/artificial-intelligence" shape="rect" target="_self">artificial intelligence</a>
 technology, such as deep learning, Song said he hoped the next 
generation of robotic birds would be able to fly in complex formations 
and make independent decisions in the air.</div>
<div class="v2-processed">
When that day comes, the Doves would be able to “match or surpass the intelligence of creatures found in nature”, he said.</div>

<div class="print-head-label">
<i>This <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2152027/china-takes-surveillance-new-heights-flock-robotic-doves-do-they" target="_blank">article</a> appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: <span class="print-head-title">Robotic birds take surveillance to a new height</span></i></div>
<br /></div>

Drones that look and move like real birds

Hi-tech drones that look and move like real birds have already flown If you’ve ever looked up to the sky and enjoyed the sight of a bir...

The curious case of the reappearing Dark Sword

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7H3XiNHaa0sZY5F8JtIiSXTHym1IXCWuORB9gOpr6avTM68FaEj1uVfQzD64yw0N-ykcsYcJu8dvbIfzC-ahId4ueE9IZ6DgrkPK6kVlpudCIRYY133oGAHHUoG_EGdweR41kzguo8U/s1600/Dark+Sword+++++Anjian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="641" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7H3XiNHaa0sZY5F8JtIiSXTHym1IXCWuORB9gOpr6avTM68FaEj1uVfQzD64yw0N-ykcsYcJu8dvbIfzC-ahId4ueE9IZ6DgrkPK6kVlpudCIRYY133oGAHHUoG_EGdweR41kzguo8U/s640/Dark+Sword+++++Anjian.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
    Dark Sword/Anjian<br />
<br />
Images of a remotely piloted fighter jet designed by Chinese aircraft makers caused immediate paranoia on Tuesday at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.sg/chinas-dark-sword-fighter-jet-is-a-nightmare-for-the-us-military-2018-6/?r=US&IR=T" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>, which dubbed the aircraft a “nightmare for the US.”<br />
<br />
The Dark Sword jet brings several threats to the table, BI reported. For
 example, the aircraft has supersonic flight performance, as indicated 
by "F-22-style vertical stabilizers," air combat expert Justin Bronk of 
British think tank Royal United Services told the outlet.<br />
<br />
The US Navy initiated an unmanned combat aircraft program in the early 
2000s, but it was eventually terminated. Northrop Grumman's X-47B 
aircraft demonstrator conducted flight tests in 2013 from an aircraft 
carrier, but the Navy decided to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW_O2nbii7c" target="_blank">develop a drone</a> to perform aerial 
refueling missions for carrier operations instead. That program, now 
known as the MQ-25A Stingray, aims to put drone tankers onto carriers by
 the mid-2020s.<br />
<br />
<img alt="This is what the US wants its new drones to do. Not as exciting, is it?" class="bi_image size-medium wp-image-1051337 td-animation-stack-type0-2" id="image-5ac658fafc23b32d008b4725" src="https://static.businessinsider.sg/2018/06/06/5ac658fafc23b32d008b4725.jpg" /><br />
<br />
In addition to its speed, Dark Sword could give China an edge by 
relieving Beijing from having to train so many pilots, Bronk said, 
especially if the fighter-style drones can be mass produced. Large 
numbers of Dark Swords could "at the very least soak up missiles from US
 fighters," he said. "If you can produce lots of them, quantity has a 
quality of its own."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJZHqprYzrkyHjHTU_cG2qVFWsOuRyapUX4AcLg1fCtFI_Ks7agzSAzbhWXYLRGc4nDxwjUGKcFuz29Qi0t-U0bFnqT2Ue4sw4B2WFLyMy24H2xDH7J66WsWdncdG_yXy017raGg3YSA/s1600/uav++Dark+Sword+++debut+at+the+Zhuhai+Airshow+in+2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1196" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJZHqprYzrkyHjHTU_cG2qVFWsOuRyapUX4AcLg1fCtFI_Ks7agzSAzbhWXYLRGc4nDxwjUGKcFuz29Qi0t-U0bFnqT2Ue4sw4B2WFLyMy24H2xDH7J66WsWdncdG_yXy017raGg3YSA/s640/uav++Dark+Sword+++debut+at+the+Zhuhai+Airshow+in+2006.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Dark Sword debut at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2006<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pcal2NDySP9Wgnwpt0a5SmCnCMAIjU4ItQagtOXFtUm5jm4NxEUJ6g0ufDSf1xj7j4rWCKOJQXiWtWTOLxjRS7EnVPwysJ1WmOgmhtXbsdnP7A1zlg-AHMrI1NxKidfsLExWOZeeq00/s1600/uav++Dark+Sword+++sub-scale+remote+model+of+the+vehicle%252C+leaked+in+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1271" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pcal2NDySP9Wgnwpt0a5SmCnCMAIjU4ItQagtOXFtUm5jm4NxEUJ6g0ufDSf1xj7j4rWCKOJQXiWtWTOLxjRS7EnVPwysJ1WmOgmhtXbsdnP7A1zlg-AHMrI1NxKidfsLExWOZeeq00/s640/uav++Dark+Sword+++sub-scale+remote+model+of+the+vehicle%252C+leaked+in+2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Sub-scale remote model of the vehicle, fly in 2011<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYykAX_aSmYGeU8uEtbN_fpEKw73WDi_Ot2GdWy2idVmTCLsKymV00MIHju8ktX_mrSOB0QTIiOtNjxH1XpvbrSgifWii4KE4cbmtOJOoA9HQFCuOE_GbgxS-nz1sZnGpn_BexNSX7SA/s1600/uav++Dark+Sword++++%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1007" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYykAX_aSmYGeU8uEtbN_fpEKw73WDi_Ot2GdWy2idVmTCLsKymV00MIHju8ktX_mrSOB0QTIiOtNjxH1XpvbrSgifWii4KE4cbmtOJOoA9HQFCuOE_GbgxS-nz1sZnGpn_BexNSX7SA/s640/uav++Dark+Sword++++%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
The curious case of the reappearing Dark Sword/Anjian 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/5uQd7WZPb3">pic.twitter.com/5uQd7WZPb3</a></div>
— Rick Joe (@RickJoe_PLART) <a href="https://twitter.com/RickJoe_PLART/status/1003888633164648449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
"At the very best," the supersonic plane would become a viable fighter 
aircraft in its own right, Bronk noted, in which case the US could be 
confronting a massive force of remotely piloted supersonic aircraft that
 might even exhibit greater maneuverability than manned adversaries 
since there is no pilot physically inside the plane whose vitals must be
 protected, BI reports. Piloted aircraft are limited in their 
maneuverability by g-forces exerted on the pilots inside, as too sharp a
 turn can force blood out of the pilot's head and cause loss of 
consciousness.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, the expert said that since "we only see what the Chinese 
want us to see," the plane's specifications on paper don't imply its 
actual fighting capabilities.
<br />
<br /></div>

The curious case of the reappearing Dark Sword

Dark Sword/Anjian Images of a remotely piloted fighter jet designed by Chinese aircraft makers caused immediate paranoia on Tuesday...

DJI Mavic Air: Unveils a new smartphone-size drone

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ju8Ej3DUdjI" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="" data-aria-label-part="" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DUPOFzjU8AAGhCd.jpg" style="height: 100%; left: -143px;" /><br />
<img alt="" data-aria-label-part="" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DUTMmzxVQAIsuJ5.jpg" style="top: 0px; width: 100%;" /> <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DJI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DJI</a>'s new <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MavicAir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MavicAir</a> can go anywhere with you. With 3-directional environment sensing, you can put your mind to rest while flying -  even in the most complicated places. Fly easily and shoot like a pro.<br /><br />Get your Mavic Air today at  <a href="https://t.co/oOBxm6UnU1">https://t.co/oOBxm6UnU1</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z8dpbGFalo">pic.twitter.com/Z8dpbGFalo</a></div>
— DJI (@DJIGlobal) <a href="https://twitter.com/DJIGlobal/status/957920626827608064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
China's civilian drone maker DJI unveils a new smartphone-size drone. Find out its impressive features <a href="https://t.co/RIC8V5DB0Q">pic.twitter.com/RIC8V5DB0Q</a></div>
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/XHNews/status/957530291295449088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
If you missed it, my live Gadgets with Gurman tour of DJI’s new Mavic Air drone <a href="https://t.co/nJYuWyax65">https://t.co/nJYuWyax65</a> (please Like and Follow to be alerted for new live episodes!) <a href="https://t.co/sLk7WLVtGg">pic.twitter.com/sLk7WLVtGg</a></div>
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) <a href="https://twitter.com/markgurman/status/957037992312389632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
DJI's $799 Mavic Air drone is a tiny creative powerhouse: <a href="https://t.co/RofEe4ZAad">https://t.co/RofEe4ZAad</a> <a href="https://t.co/vmg9owqsm0">pic.twitter.com/vmg9owqsm0</a></div>
— Engadget (@engadget) <a href="https://twitter.com/engadget/status/957418408278089728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
So you've decided to start a new adventure. But this time you're bringing your new <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DJI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DJI</a> Mavic Air to film the whole thing in 4K. We can't wait until you see the results.<br /><br />Get all the information you need on the new Mavic Air at <a href="https://t.co/01jlnHeLY4">https://t.co/01jlnHeLY4</a> <a href="https://t.co/teGxXGPssl">pic.twitter.com/teGxXGPssl</a></div>
— DJI (@DJIGlobal) <a href="https://twitter.com/DJIGlobal/status/956445359286272000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
<img alt="" class="u-block" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/956520917898801153/QY0GdcUr?format=jpg&name=600x314" height="334" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/956520917898801153/QY0GdcUr?format=jpg&name=600x314" width="640" /> <br />
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<img alt="" data-aria-label-part="" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DURjNdGWAAADqdi.jpg" style="top: -0px; width: 100%;" /> <br />
New <strong>DJI</strong> <strong>Mavic</strong> <strong>Air</strong><br />
Smaller than <strong>Mavic</strong>, bigger than Spark<br />
21 minute flight time<br />
4K, 30fps<br />
1080p, 120fps<br />
$799 <br />
<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xrxtU7Fsam8" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
DJI Mavic Air review <a href="https://t.co/iQYn47mD6S">https://t.co/iQYn47mD6S</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/bheater?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bheater</a></div>
— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) <a href="https://twitter.com/TechCrunch/status/958081103151140865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</div>

DJI Mavic Air: Unveils a new smartphone-size drone

#DJI 's new #MavicAir can go anywhere with you. With 3-directional environment sensing, you can put your mind to rest while f...

Over 1000 drones light up sky in magnificent record

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<img alt="Over 1000 drones light up sky in magnificent record-setting display in China (VIDEOS)" class="media__item " src="https://cdni.rt.com/files/2017.12/article/5a2e5744fc7e93fe1e8b4568.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<div class="article__summary summary ">
        The night skyline of the Chinese city of Guangzhou lit up by a 
spectacular show in which hundreds of drones took to the air. In putting
 on the show, the city broke its own world record for the biggest number
 of drones involved in one performance. </div>
<div class="article__summary summary ">
 </div>
Spectators
 reached for their phones to capture the dazzling light show as some 
1,180 drones soared up against the backdrop of futuristic skyscrapers, 
gleaming in different colors. Marking the end of the 2017 Fortune Global
 Forum on Thursday, the display saw the swarm of aircrafts forming the 
Chinese ideograms for <em>“innovation,”</em><em>“open”</em> and <em>“fortune.”</em> A ship and a kapok flower, the city’s official symbol, also showed up in the sky.<br />
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<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="460" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HPYIvb01otg" width="660"></iframe>
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<br />
The eight-minute show was orchestrated by a single operator, the Asia Times <a href="http://www.atimes.com/article/china-shows-off-drone-brigade-guangzhou-fortune-forum-gala/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reported</a>.
 The drone manufacturer eHang developed a system to manage the one-ton 
squad on a single console, enabling the aircrafts to sync with each 
other.<br />
<br />
<em>“Drones can produce very impressive artistic effects,”</em> company official in charge of the event Li Zhiyuan <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2123780/drones-put-spectacular-light-show-china" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said</a>, as quoted by the SCMP. <em>“We hope that drone performances can one day replace fireworks in the business of night sky illumination.”</em> Each of the drones had a price tag of some 10,000 yuan ($1,500), he added.<br />
<strong><br /></strong>
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<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="460" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z7bWaTJrMJQ" width="660"></iframe>
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<br /></div>

Over 1000 drones light up sky in magnificent record

The night skyline of the Chinese city of Guangzhou lit up by a spectacular show in which hundreds of drones took to the air. In...

Amphibious sea drone U650

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2fMzdYGl07NOmkOMfe04gxrDoLKZWBpnuhOhSGDZt-bTt-CVV_pOUJhFtWgku4UwaOd8QE_J4dZ50rfI259HBylzq55J6bx5FKfF2OlRVcQIvvGjo-oLBtMgg4YARSO5e7KFVxEm3mE/s1600/U650%252C+the+MALE+Amphibious+UAS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2fMzdYGl07NOmkOMfe04gxrDoLKZWBpnuhOhSGDZt-bTt-CVV_pOUJhFtWgku4UwaOd8QE_J4dZ50rfI259HBylzq55J6bx5FKfF2OlRVcQIvvGjo-oLBtMgg4YARSO5e7KFVxEm3mE/s1600/U650%252C+the+MALE+Amphibious+UAS.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>World's first amphibious sea drone U650</b><br />
<br />
U650, the MALE Amphibious UAS is developed independently by <b>Shanghai UVS
 Intelligence System</b> Co., Ltd. Its fuselage is made of carbon fiber 
composite, having the advantage of amphibian, long endurance and can 
carry heavy payload. It fills gap in the field of civil MALE unmanned 
aircraft system in civil market. U650 is particularly suitable for 
logistics application and can also be applied widely in maritime 
affairs, inland lake detection, geological exploration, power line 
inspection, oil and gas pipeline inspection,etc."<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
This <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/drone?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#drone</a> is great for land and sea! <a href="https://t.co/WXAkUcL11M">https://t.co/WXAkUcL11M</a></div>
— Planet Inhouse, Inc. (@planetinhouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/planetinhouse/status/918580065952325634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/U650%E6%97%A0%E4%BA%BA%E6%9C%BA/19053232?fr=aladdin" target="_blank">Long flight time:</a> 15hrs, 2000km continuous flight.<br />
150kg load capacity<br />
Water and air dual use. <br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="460" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nyh1altmzPY" width="660"></iframe>

Amphibious sea drone U650

World's first amphibious sea drone U650 U650, the MALE Amphibious UAS is developed independently by Shanghai UVS Intelligence Sy...

Heavily armed CASC CH-5 UAV makes public debut

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CH-5 UAV finished the firing test of 100 kg LGB & 80 kg AGM recently. <a href="https://t.co/NVlw6Pv16y">pic.twitter.com/NVlw6Pv16y</a></p>— dafeng cao (@xinfengcao) <a href="https://twitter.com/xinfengcao/status/911747923414626304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch CH-5 UAV conduct live fire trial with new precise guided munitions. <a href="https://t.co/G4CgroC41R">pic.twitter.com/G4CgroC41R</a></p>— dafeng cao (@xinfengcao) <a href="https://twitter.com/xinfengcao/status/913059361030672385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Heavily armed CASC CH-5 UAV makes public debut

CH-5 UAV finished the firing test of 100 kg LGB & 80 kg AGM recently. pic.twitter.com/NVlw6Pv16y — dafeng cao (@xinfe...

Engineers make plane into first large delivery drone

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S24GKCqO3QOqUSCzvaPGYxN9JbwR5KhLiE42bwfsCXm025eUGPjQ8bRoLhzN0159t5_WLolZGHdiNn1zao-eddO94BYN53woPMwWZNYkS12F8nD8y4Ges_2BAnAAYkna9FkJ5KQEzH0/s1600/uav++PAC+P-750+XSTOL+turboprop+aircraft%252C+built+by+the+New+Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S24GKCqO3QOqUSCzvaPGYxN9JbwR5KhLiE42bwfsCXm025eUGPjQ8bRoLhzN0159t5_WLolZGHdiNn1zao-eddO94BYN53woPMwWZNYkS12F8nD8y4Ges_2BAnAAYkna9FkJ5KQEzH0/s640/uav++PAC+P-750+XSTOL+turboprop+aircraft%252C+built+by+the+New+Zealand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
PAC P-750 XSTOL turboprop aircraft, built by the New Zealand was refitted into a cargo drone.<br />
<br />
Chinese engineers have refitted a manned utility aircraft into the 
world's first large transport drone for one of the nation's largest 
express delivery companies, according to a leading designer involved in 
the project.<br />
<br />
A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAC_P-750_XSTOL" target="_blank">PAC P-750 XSTOL</a> turboprop aircraft, built by the New Zealand plane manufacturer Pacific Aerospace, has been modified into an unmanned aircraft and has
 recently begun conducting taxiing tests, said Chen Xiang, director of 
unmanned aircraft vehicle guidance at Aviation Industry Corp of China's 
Xi'an Flight Automatic Control Research Institute.<br />
<br />
"The plane will make its maiden flight in early October if preparation 
work proceeds well. Once its flight tests are finished, it will become 
the world's first large transport drone that is ready for commercial 
operations," he told China Daily in an <a href="http://www.ecns.cn/business/2017/09-22/274652.shtml" target="_blank">exclusive interview</a> on the 
sidelines of a civilian-military integration development expo, a 
weeklong event that concludes on Friday.<br />
<br />
The refit was done by designers and engineers from several domestic 
institutes such as the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the 
Chinese Academy of Sciences and the AVIC Xi'an institute. The work is 
being done for SF Express, the second largest courier service in China 
after State-owned China Post.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The cargo drone first will be used for technological demonstrations and 
the civil aviation authorities' certification process and then will be 
put into commercial operation, according to the AVIC Xi'an institute.<br />
<br />
 <br />
<img alt="World's first 'freight drone' will take to the sky in China next month" height="425" src="http://www.ecns.cn/visual/2017/09-22/U542P886T1D274704F12DT20170922094922.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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<a href="http://www.ecns.cn/business/2017/09-22/274652.shtml" target="_blank">PAC P-750 XSTOL turboprop aircraft, built by the New Zealand was refitted into a cargo drone</a>. (Photo provided to China Daily)<br />
<br />
International giants such as Amazon.com and DHL Express have begun to 
deploy drones for delivery service on a small scale and are continuing 
to develop new models. However, the drones in service or under 
development are all small and could not compete with the large Chinese 
drone in speed and carrying capacity, Chen said.<br />
<br />
"The reason we lead in this field is that China is leading in online 
commerce and thus has a bigger demand for such drones than others."<br />
<br />
Engineers removed the pilot's instruments in the P-750's cockpit and 
installed ground-control and automated flight devices, which are the 
most important apparatus on an unmanned plane, he said. Other institutes
 'engineers rearranged the cabin and mounted other equipment on the 
aircraft.<br />
<br />
After the modification, the plane has a maximum takeoff weight of 3.4 
metric tons, a carrying capacity of 1 ton and a flight range of more 
than 2,000 kilometers, according to the designer.<br />
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 <br />
<img alt="" data-aria-label-part="" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DI-7ZoDXoAAcMu9.jpg" style="top: -0px; width: 100%;" /> <br />
PAC P-750 XSTOL<br /><br />
<img alt="" data-aria-label-part="" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CDDHj0MXIAAWUpq.jpg" style="top: 0px; width: 100%;" /> <br />
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<img alt="File:PACP-750XSTOL2.jpg" data-file-height="768" data-file-width="1024" height="600" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/PACP-750XSTOL2.jpg/800px-PACP-750XSTOL2.jpg" width="800" /> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAC_P-750_XSTOL" target="_blank">PAC P-750 XSTOL</a><br />
<br />
Chen said that compared with manned cargo planes, a freight drone's 
operational costs will be about 30 percent less. It will be used for 
short-haul deliveries of time-sensitive goods such as fresh food and 
medical supplies.<br />
<br />
"Next, we will focus on how to improve the drone's safety, reliability 
and intelligence. Future models will also be based on utility aircraft 
with a takeoff weight of 3 to 5 tons and will likely be capable of 
conducting an automated takeoff, cruising flight and landing with no 
manual manipulation," he said.<br />
<br />
"The project team is in talks with the Civil Aviation Administration and
 other related authorities on issues of policy and airworthiness 
certification. The administration is open to the service of cargo 
drones."<br />
<br />
SF Express said it owns an aircraft fleet of 40 Boeing cargo jets and 
has rented 15 planes from leasing firms. The company plans to expand the
 number of its own cargo planes to 100 by 2021.<br />
<br />
Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said there 
is no large transport drone now available in the market and regional 
freight transportation in China relies on trucks and ships because the 
air transport is restrained by high costs, strict airspace controls and a
 shortage of pilots.<br />
<br />
"Each manned cargo plane requires an average of 3 million yuan 
($456,000) each year for its crew. Meanwhile, there has been a personnel
 gap of at least 10,000 aviators in the domestic market, which hugely 
contributes to the slack growth of cargo air transport," he said. 
"Therefore, unmanned cargo aircraft will be a reasonable solution for 
couriers to expand their network and boost their efficiency."<br />
<br /></div>

Engineers make plane into first large delivery drone

PAC P-750 XSTOL turboprop aircraft, built by the New Zealand was refitted into a cargo drone. Chinese engineers have refitted a manned ...

Unmanned Combat Helicopter AV500W

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The 7.2-meter-long aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 450 
kilograms, a maximum speed of 170 kilometres per hour and a flight 
ceiling of 4,000 meters, the State-run China Daily reported. The 
aircraft was developed and produced at the AVIC Helicopter Research and 
Development Institute in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province.<br />
<br />
In addition, the helicopter is capable of carrying 120 kilograms of 
weapons and equipment. Its reconnaissance version can remain aloft for 
eight hours while the reconnaissance/combat model is able to fly for 
four hours.<br />
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<img alt="" data-aria-label-part="" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJ3aOqNU8AA2Lp8.jpg" style="height: 100%; left: -210px;" /><br />
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<img alt="Photo published for AV500W : l'Arabie Saoudite s'intéresse au drone VTOL armé chinois | East Pendulum" class="u-block" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/908584167041990656/Y7ol4vfp?format=jpg&name=600x314" height="334" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/908584167041990656/Y7ol4vfp?format=jpg&name=600x314" width="640" /> <br />
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All of the military drones China has offered to the international market
 have been fixed-wing models, making the AV500W the first Chinese 
unmanned military helicopter available in that market, experts were 
quoted as saying.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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C'est peut-être la première photo qui montre le drone hélicoptère militaire AV500W chinois tirant un petit missile Air-Sol dédié. <a href="https://t.co/o1NEsd2WQ7">pic.twitter.com/o1NEsd2WQ7</a></div>
— East Pendulum (@HenriKenhmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/status/909122668011544576">September 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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AVIC China Apresenta Novo Helicóptero Não Tripulado AV500W <a href="https://t.co/nhJW5MsqTA">https://t.co/nhJW5MsqTA</a></div>
— Spyder Gamer (@spyderuchila) <a href="https://twitter.com/spyderuchila/status/908742083837517825">September 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<b>For mass production</b><br />
Jiang Taiyu, one of the chief designers of AV500W, said the aircraft fired weapons during its maiden flight test in August.<br />
“The helicopter is able to take off and land on almost any landform 
including plateaus and canyons. It can operate in cold and tropical 
environments. It will be useful in border patrols, counterterrorism 
operations and low-intensity conflicts because it can carry out 
very-low-altitude penetration and keep hovering for a while,” he said.<br />
<br />
Mr. Jiang said that all of the helicopter’s tests will be finished 
before the end of this year and it will be ready for mass production in 
2018.<br />
“Several nations have told us that they are interested in this aircraft.
 This is because there are a very small number of unmanned helicopters 
in the world that can perform strikes, while demand for such types is 
not small,” Mr. Jiang said.<br />
He said only the U.S. and Israel have developed unmanned armed 
helicopters such as the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout in the U.S.<br />
<br />
<b>Numerous capabilities</b><br />
An armed AV500W typically carries four air-to-ground missiles, which use
 radar homing technology for guidance. Each missile weighs eight 
kilograms and can hit a target five kilometres away, the report quoted 
AVIC officials as saying. It also can carry bombs or a machine-gun pod.<br />
<br />
More than 400 helicopter producers and parts suppliers from 22 nations 
and regions — including the US, Russia and France — are taking part in 
the <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-displays-its-first-unmanned-attack-helicopter/article19689895.ece?homepage=true" target="_blank">helicopter expo</a>. They brought 98 aircraft to the event. <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash">#China</a> unveils AV500W unmanned attack helicopter. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAV?src=hash">#UAV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/drones?src=hash">#drones</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/defense?src=hash">#defense</a> <a href="https://t.co/aJ062FlS3y">https://t.co/aJ062FlS3y</a> <a href="https://t.co/YvLPm3El2q">pic.twitter.com/YvLPm3El2q</a></div>
— Forecast Guy (@LDickersonFI) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDickersonFI/status/908687140120391680">September 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Unmanned Combat Helicopter AV500W

The 7.2-meter-long aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 450 kilograms, a maximum speed of 170 kilometres per hour and a flight c...

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