China's military rapidly expands use of low-cost AI-powered drones in ‘phased leap'
One of the latest – a micro drone that looks like a thermal flask and weighs less than a kilogram – was featured on state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday. The micro drone is the first of its kind and is designed for use across the People's Liberation Army infantry units, according to the report.
It said the drone's coaxial dual-rotor system provided superior lift compared with traditional quadcopters, 'allowing it to carry up to twice its own weight – the highest known payload ratio among drones globally'.
The drone also has foldable rotors and modular payload bays and can support both reconnaissance and attack missions, according to the report. It operates silently, can transmit real-time battlefield intelligence and can carry up to three grenades. An on-board neural processing unit enables AI-powered targeting, allowing one operator to manage multiple drones simultaneously.
The micro drone is part of what the military's official newspaper PLA Daily on Tuesday described as a 'phased leap' in unmanned combat team technology – from expanding its use, to deep integration within operations that will eventually become autonomous. The report said the transition would be 'vital for defining future battlefield rules and gaining an early edge in intelligent warfare'.
The CCTV report on Saturday said the micro drone could also be launched from a 35mm grenade launcher, reducing its take-off time and extending its strike range. A similar drone – the CH-817 made by state-owned Aerospace CH UAV – was shown at the 2021 Zhuhai air show, its compact system optimised for guerilla and urban warfare.
Another CCTV report earlier this month highlighted first-person view, or FPV, drones guided by fibre-optic cables, which are being used by a PLA brigade under the 71st Group Army. Often modified from commercial models, these drones mimic the battlefield tactics seen in Ukraine, where their resistance to jamming and precise manoeuvrability make them ideal loitering munitions.
Russia's fibre drones now strike up to 25km away, while Ukraine's reach 41km, notably with its Flagbearer-10 model. Private Chinese firms have followed suit – Wuhan-based Skywalker Technology has released commercial fibre kits that integrate with consumer drones and support ranges up to 50km.
China is poised to lead in this sector – it produced more than 350 million core-kilometres of fibre in 2023, which was 62.5% of global output, according to the latest industry figures.
The CCTV report also addressed the question of durability of long-range fibre cables. It said that – like wire-guided missiles and torpedoes – fibre spools would unwind from the drone during flight, minimising tension and avoiding breakage or entanglement, even during complex manoeuvres.
It said grass-roots PLA units were building improvised grenade- and mortar-dropping drones based on earlier efforts such as the Blowfish A2, a high-speed drone developed by Zhuhai Ziyan UAV that can launch eight airburst mortar rounds.
Lighter, handmade variants are now favoured for rapid frontline deployment, CCTV reported. One tactic not in use by the PLA but prominent in Ukraine is the drone deployment of anti-tank mines. Ukraine pioneered the use of modified TM-62 mines from heavy drones, with Russia soon following. These devices carry the explosive power of two 155mm artillery shells.
China already has similar mines and widespread access to agricultural drones that could be militarised. If adopted, such systems would bolster frontline units with mobile firepower in the absence of artillery or air support.
Amid surging interest in battlefield drones, Chinese universities and institutes have reported significant progress in fibre-optic drone communication. One example is the SKP-880FM, co-developed by Wang Hongyu and his research team at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Jiaxing-based Xuntian Optoelectronics.
The drone successfully completed test flights earlier this year and uses fibre-optic communication to transmit control signals and data, greatly improving signal stability and operational security. Wang's team claimed that 'its resistance to electromagnetic interference boosts survivability in complex battlefield environments and ensures smooth mission execution'.
China's military – particularly units in the north and west of the country – has also been conducting defensive drills against drones, including testing camouflage with tanks and preparing for drone incursions across various terrain, according to multiple CCTV reports this year.
One focus is countering the FPV drones guided by fibre-optic cables – one of the most lethal and widely used systems in the Ukraine-Russia battlefield. While these drones offer greater resilience against electronic warfare, their prevalence in conflict zones has forced militaries to rethink traditional armoured defence and deception tactics.
The PLA Air Force and the Central Military Commission's Equipment Development Department have also been conducting trials to advance low-cost drone technologies in areas ranging from reconnaissance to logistics.
Zhang Xiangbo, a Guangzhou-based AI consultant who observed the trials, said the fibre and wireless drones had both performed well.
'There's no single best option – only the best fit for specific scenarios,' Zhang said. 'Wireless drones excelled in agility and response time, while fibre-guided systems – dubbed 'hi-tech kites' – were unmatched in anti-jamming reliability.'
He said future trials would likely focus on autonomous battlefield decision-making and deeper system integration. 'The PLA's emphasis on real-world application and cost-effective innovation is reshaping its procurement priorities,' he said. 'This could define its edge in the era of intelligent warfare.' – South China Morning Post
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