Mosquito-sized drone is designed for Chinese spy missions — military robotics lab reveals incredibly tiny bionic flying robots
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This super tiny drone, put together by a team from China's National Defense University of Science and Technology, is akin to something out of a spy movie. The team, based in Hunan Province, China, recently shared a new drone they have developed, which is small enough to fit between your fingers. It's as small as a mosquito, and it looks like one, too.
This pesky little spy device first buzzed on our radar shortly after its debut on CCTV state TV channel CCTV 7. This was picked up by the South China Morning Post, which highlighted Liang Hexiang, a student, showing off the tiny drone by holding it in between his fingers. This tiny mosquito-sized drone was designed specifically to help with information reconnaissance, essentially making it a spy drone.
There are several iterations of the design, but we get a good look at two in particular. Both have a long body with wings attached. One has just two wings, while the other has four and is controllable using mobile devices, such as a smartphone. It's not clear exactly what hardware is onboard and what sort of data it can collect, but it's safe to say the hardware is incredibly small and likely limited in capacity.
Remote technology like this isn't just used for spy-related tasks. They can also be resourceful tools for recovering people and equipment from dangerous areas without risking additional bodies. Drones like the ones featured here can be highly flexible and useful in various military applications.
Another key component in using remote devices like these is power. The unit needs to have enough charge to perform its task and bring itself back, or otherwise transmit the data it recorded before it completely dies. So far, there is no confirmation that the Chinese military is actually using these in the field. It appears to be a research project at this time.
If the thought of an extra tiny mosquito drone piques your interest, you should check out this custom 3D-printed winged VTOL drone. Both of these projects demonstrate how a little ingenuity can result in an incredible final design.
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