Barely visible, highly lethal: China's 'mosquito drone' could change battlefield spying

In what comes as a major boost to the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) of China, a tiny, "mosquito-like" microdrone has been developed by a laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT).

 

The unmanned aerial vehicle is barely visible to the naked eye, making them an extremely useful asset in covert military operations, a  per a report by CCTV 7, a channel dedicated to airing programmes related to the People's Liberation Army.

 

“Here in my hand is a mosquito-like type of robot. Miniature bionic robots like this one are especially suited to information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield,” a student at NUDT in Hunan province of Central China told CCTV 7.

 

The microdrone is stick-shaped with two tiny wings and three "legs."

ALSO READ: How formidable is the US E-4B Nightwatch 'doomsday plane'? Can it withstand a nuclear war?

Microdrones are increasingly becoming common in various fields, including the military, as they are compact and highly agile, enabling those deploying them to access terrains or areas that are difficult or dangerous for humans. Their small size makes them less detectable and more maneuverable in complex battle environments and tough terrains.

 

Besides the defence applications, such drones are extremely useful in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations as they can navigate confined spaces in collapsed buildings searching for trapped victims; avalanche risk assessment and prediction in mountainous regions; the detection of hazardous objects; high-precision surveying; topographic mapping, and geospatial data collection. 

 

However, on the flip side, they are tough to build as every component—from batteries, and sensors to communication systems—needs to be micorscaled without their functionality being affected. 

Defence