Chinese scientists have developed a new type of war drone that can rapidly multiply midair, a tactical shock and awe phenomenon against potential adversaries like the US, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
The new drone is similar to a consumer-grade Chinese DJI multirotor, which can split into two, three or even six smaller drones depending on battle needs.
Each drone has only one blade but can hover, move freely like a regular drone and communicate with other drones. Each can also play a specific role such as command, surveillance, tracking and even attack while collaborating to complete a mission.
SCMP notes that progress in this technology has been slow due to the significantly decreased flight efficiency of traditional drones combined.
However, a research team led by Professor Shi Zhiwei from Nanjing University’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics claims to have overcome this challenge, according to a peer-reviewed paper published in Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica journal last month.
Shi’s team said the drone combination boasted a flight efficiency nearly twice that of a similar-sized multirotor drone. Even after separation, the team says their flight efficiency remained more than 40% higher than traditional small drones – the apparent first demonstration that combined drones could outperform single drones in any flight state.
SCMP points out that China’s one-blade drone, which can be launched by hand like throwing a boomerang and take off vertically from the ground, resembles Lockheed Martin’s “Samarai” drone, which can hover in midair and land in a specific area.
However, SCMP says that Lockheed Martin’s drone is constrained by its endurance, payload capacity and limited autonomy. The source also notes that while the US envisioned deploying these drones from large aircraft, they risked being shot down.
It also says that other Western teams have developed similar models but so far without large-scale practical applications.
In contrast, China dominates the civilian drone manufacturing industry, meaning that prototype technology such as its one-blade drone can mature quickly. Drone DJ reported in December 2023 that three of the top five civilian drone manufacturers are Chinese companies, with Shenzhen-based DJI being the world’s largest.
Several factors contribute to China’s leading edge in drone development. In a September 2018 World Economic Forum article, Harrison Wolf notes that DJI innovates quicker than any other drone company and integrates their competitor’s capabilities quickly, while also developing capabilities needed for safe flight faster than most – enabling better aerial data acquisition, video sharing and user experience.
Wolf also points out that the Chinese government’s ability to invest heavily in technology and aerospace may be its greatest asset, owing to its top-down leadership and economy. Also, China’s civil-military fusion strategy allows advances in civilian dual-use technology to be quickly repurposed for military applications.
If successfully weaponized, these new drones can be packed into a cluster warhead on a missile, becoming intelligent bomblets that can search and destroy targets autonomously. Such an approach would combine the lethality of first-person view (FPV) drones extensively used by both sides in the Ukraine war, the precision and autonomy of AI, and the extended range offered by cruise and ballistic missiles.
In January 2017, the US Department of Defense (DOD) opened a solicitation for a cluster unmanned aerial system (UAS) smart munition for missile deployment from the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) or Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). The solicitation states that the goal is to produce a missile-deployable, long-range UAS swarm to deliver small explosively-formed penetrators (EFP) to various targets.
The US Army desires a missile-launched payload of multiple quadcopters, with the missile releasing its payload during flight. The drones would then decelerate to a velocity suitable for unfolding, identify potential targets, maneuver to the targets and detonate.
Potential targets mentioned in the DOD solicitation include tanks, large-caliber artillery pieces, fuel storage barrels, vehicle roofs and ammo storage sites.
A few missiles armed with such warheads could conceivably decimate an entire armored division, raising the question of whether tanks are obsolete in the emerging new age of drone warfare.
These UAS can also be mini-aerial mines, similar to larger loitering munitions. Miniature drones could be launched into an environment where they can patrol and respond to specific stimuli detectable with onboard sensors. However, their relatively short flight endurance most likely restricts their usefulness in battle.
Small-scale special operations are also possible applications of cluster drones, providing a force multiplier for special forces teams by creating drone swarms at the tactical level.
Asia Times reported in February 2024 that China has revealed plans to transform its military operations through the integration of advanced unmanned systems, a strategic shift towards drone-led special operations in war scenarios, including a potential conflict with the US over Taiwan.
The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) scenario was set for 2035 when a small-scale conflict occurs between China and an unnamed neighboring country where both sides agree to limit their equipment to small arms including boats, drones and anti-aircraft guns.
Under the scenario, the PLA must strike swiftly and silently behind enemy lines, hitting critical command, control and supply hubs. The plan also specifies that drones purpose-built for such an operation should be able to operate alone and in swarms, fly at extremely low altitudes, engage beyond visual range and pursue enemy forces.
Despite being a leader in drone technology, China faces significant challenges in developing drone swarms. Emilie Stewart notes in an October 2023 China Aerospace Studies Institute study that one key challenge is managing the trade-off between UAV computing power and their payload size against mission duration, as greater computing capabilities might either increase the payload or shorten the mission time.
Stewart mentions that processing the vast amount of data collected by UAV sensors requires balancing the accuracy of sizeable central ground stations and timely data processing. Spectrum congestion becomes apparent with increasing swarm sizes, as each UAV competes for similar bandwidth and signals, posing a risk to efficient operation.
Stewart says that UAV swarms face obstacles in complex and variable environments, such as urban or mountainous terrains, as limited sensor perception and dynamic operating areas can complicate and compromise operations.
Stewart raises the possibility of a single UAV failure leading to the entire mission’s collapse, underscoring the importance of robust design, while the expansion in size and operational range of UAV swarms can result in crucial communication delays.
