Latest news with #Mavic
Memri
5 days ago
- Politics
- Memri
Russian Media Outlet RuNews24: 'China Openly Sides With Russia; The Game of Neutrality Is Over; Why This Changes Everything'
On July 20, 2025, Russian media outlet RuNews24 wrote an analysis titled "China Openly Sides With Russia; The Game of Neutrality Is Over; Why This Changes Everything." During a meeting with Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Chinese FM stated that Beijing cannot allow Russia to lose the war in Ukraine. According to RuNews24, the world enters a new phase of confrontation, with the U.S. and its allies on one side and the emerging Sino-Russian alliance on the other, which no longer hides its intentions. Meeting of Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi in Beijing, July 13, 2025. (Source: Chinese Foreign Ministry).[1] Below is RuNews24's article:[2] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: "Beijing Cannot Allow Russia To Lose The War Against Ukraine" "Just the other day, an event took place that finally dotted all the i's. During a four-hour meeting with European Union head of diplomacy Kaja Kallas, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said something that had previously been heard only on the sidelines [of international events]. 'Beijing cannot allow Russia to lose the war against Ukraine, as this will grant the United States an opportunity to fully focus on China,' said Wang Yi, thereby completely contradicting China's previously iterated neutral stance in the conflict. These words came as a bolt from the blue for European diplomats. This is the first time a Chinese official of such [high] rank had openly acknowledged that Beijing had a direct interest in Russia not losing the war." "Drones That Changed The Game" "But even before this diplomatic acknowledgement, the world saw more concrete actions on the part of China. Zelenskyy stated that 'the Chinese 'Mavic'[3] is open to Russians but closed to Ukrainians.' According to him, 'there are production lines on Russian territory where Chinese representatives work.' "He was talking about the popular DJI Mavic drones, which have become a true workhorse of the SVO.[4] By design, these are ordinary civilian quadcopters for aerial photography, but on the battlefield, they have become the 'eyes' and 'hands' of armies – they are used for reconnaissance and can carry explosives to strike targets. "European officials have confirmed Zelenskyy's words. According to Ukrainian foreign intelligence, 80 percent of critically important electronics for Russian drones are of Chinese origin. What's more, China supplies arms components to 20 Russian military factories." "What's Behind The Numbers" "The scale of China's support for Russia is staggering. Shipments of dual-use goods from China to Russia again exceeded four billion USD in 2024, despite threats of secondary sanctions on the part of the US. During the period of February 2022 – February 2025, [Chinese president] Xi Jinping and [Russian President] Vladimir Putin met and/or spoke on the phone 10 times. Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrov held 18 meetings. The frequency of these interactions exceeds any other bilateral relationship for both China and Russia." "Economic War In The Shadows" "Russo-Chinese trade relations also speak for themselves. The share of the Chinese yuan in Russia's international trade has risen sharply since the start of the SVO and subsequent Western sanctions. Before the war, yuan settlements accounted for less than 2 percent of Russia's total trade [settlements], but have grown rapidly, exceeding 30 percent in the beginning of 2023. "China became a critically important market for Russian gas, helping to offset losses from Europe [European export]. Russia began exporting natural gas to China through pipelines in 2019 with the launch of 'Sila Sibiri – 1' pipeline (Power of Siberia-1), which is set to reach full capacity of 38 billion cubic meters [of natural gas] per year by 2025." Why China Is No Longer In Hiding "Beijing has realized a simple truth: China will be left face-to-face with the collective West if Russia loses. Military conflict [in Ukraine] demands a significant portion of the resources of the United States and its European allies. Contrary to its propaganda narrative, China has little interest in a prompt settlement of the conflict via the talks. "In May of 2025, Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement defining new areas of cooperation between China and Russia, including upcoming economic, diplomatic, and military agreements. Both used particularly harsh language in their individual statements, condemning the 'unilateralism, hegemonism, hooliganism, and coercive practices' of the United States. "For Ukraine, the new conditions pose serious problems. Previously, Russia fought almost alone, relying mainly on its own resources. Wherein, Ukraine received assistance from many Western countries – in the form of arms, money, and technology. But now the situation is starting to change. "Now Russia not only increased drone production, but also received support from China, the world's second largest economy, which has huge manufacturing capabilities. This gives the Russian army new advantages and allows it to assert more pressure on the positions of Ukrainian troops." "The New Global Balance Of Power" "In the context of Russia's dispute with the West and the military conflict in Ukraine, China has become the Kremlin's most important and irreplaceable aide. As a result, Sino-Russian relations continue to deepen. "The system that the two countries have been developing for more than three decades, currently dubbed as a 'comprehensive strategic coordination partnership for a new era,' has practically evolved into an informal anti-American alliance and has proven effective in practice. "There is bad news for Americans here too. The proxy war against Russia is too costly for America – we are talking not only about financial costs, but also about the expenditure of military resources. Instead of accumulating military equipment in case of a possible war with China over Taiwan, which, according to analysts, may break out sooner or later, the U.S. is forced to spend everything on the Ukrainian front. "China has demonstrated that it is willing to risk its relations with the West for the sake of a strategic alliance with Russia. "The world enters a new phase of confrontation, with the U.S. and its allies on one side and the emerging Sino-Russian alliance on the other, which no longer hides its intentions. "And this is just the beginning."
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- The Citizen
CPS Security launches License Plate Recognition Camera in Southcrest to combat crime
CPS Security has launched a license plate recognition (LPR) camera in Southcrest to strengthen crime prevention and increase vehicle tracking capabilities across Alberton. The first LPR camera stands at a crucial point on Vootrekker Road, a route that enters the area from the Johannesburg CBD and which criminals often use. This initiative, fully funded by CPS Security, links directly with the SAPS and alerts response units in real-time. 'We have had house robberies in the Southcrest area and, through many years of experience, we noticed that criminals regularly use Voortrekker Road to enter and exit,' said Tyron van der Merwe of CPS Security. 'We've always wanted to put cameras here, and this is just the start.' How the system works The LPR cameras scan every vehicle entering or leaving Southcrest and compare its number plates to a national database that the SAPS uses. Vehicles flagged as involved in criminal activity trigger an instant alert to CPS tactical units. 'The alerts happen in milliseconds. Once a vehicle is detected, our tactical teams immediately respond and co-ordinate with law enforcement such as the SAPS, the EMPD and the JMPD,' explained van der Merwe. Each alert contains detailed case information, including crime type, case number, dates and the name of the investigating officer, allowing teams to act fast and legally during stop-and-searches. Constant monitoring and broader integration The LPR system is monitored 24 hours a day through two advanced control room platforms. CPS works with the Vumacam and Mavic surveillance networks, which support crime-fighting efforts across Gauteng. 'We use two control rooms and partner networks to ensure we never miss an alert. This gives us an edge in staying one step ahead of criminals.' CPS is part of the broader Vumacam project that operates in Glenvista, Mulbarton, Moffatview, Alberton, and Germiston. The Southcrest camera adds to this broader surveillance network. Protecting privacy and upholding the law CPS assured the public that the system complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia). All footage and vehicle data remain confidential and are shared only with vetted partners under strict non-disclosure agreements. 'We do not share footage with the public. The information is used strictly for crime combating and is handled within legal boundaries,' said van der Merwe. Positive community feedback Local safety organisations and residents have received the Southcrest camera installation well. Deidre de Carvalho, a representative of the Alberton CPF and community member, praised the move. 'What the CPS came up with is a brilliant idea. Now, when criminals enter Alberton, CPS and the police can be alert, which will reduce crime in the area,' she said. Expansion plans and community involvement Southcrest has one installed LPR camera, but CPS has identified other high-risk entry and exit points where they will place more cameras. The system is active in Brackendowns and Randhart, with similar installations in progress. CPS encourages residents and business owners to join the initiative and help sponsor camera poles in their areas. 'We are reaching out to business owners and residents to adopt poles or support installation costs. It is affordable and has been proven effective in multiple suburbs,' van der Merwe said. CPS also offers complete area surveys to identify security needs and determine the best placement for LPR technology. Mobile units and long-term vision Where permanent infrastructure is not yet available, CPS use a mobile LPR trailer to deploy to hotspots. This trailer has the same recognition technology and has aided many criminal apprehensions. 'Whether a fixed pole or mobile trailer, the results are consistent. These systems are one of the best tools we have in the fight against crime,' said van der Merwe. The long-term goal is to secure every major entry and exit point in Alberton, Johannesburg south and Germiston. 'We took the initiative upon ourselves to invest in this project because we care about the safety of our suburbs. This is only the beginning, and we will continue to innovate.' Support from law enforcement CPS Security appreciated the continued support of law enforcement partners, like the SAPS, the EMPD, the JMPD and Gauteng Traffic. 'They have stood by us when it mattered most. Their presence during stops and investigations ensures we follow the law and keep communities safe,' said Van der Merwe. Colonel Letloenyane, the station commander at the Alberton SAPS, also welcomed the initiative and applauded CPS Security's proactive steps. 'We appreciate all the efforts our stakeholders are putting into place to ensure Alberton is a safe place to live. It will come in handy because it is a known fact that most criminals use that route to come to Alberton and terrorise our community.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Drones are key to winning wars now. The US makes hardly any of them
For four days last month, they tested prototypes of one-way drones by trying to crash them into programmed targets, while soldiers tried to stop the drones with special electronic equipment. The exercise aimed to help US defence contractors and soldiers get better at drone warfare. But it illustrated some of the ways in which the US military could be unprepared for such a conflict. The nation lags behind Russia and China in manufacturing drones, training soldiers to use them and defending against them, according to interviews with more than a dozen US military officials and drone industry experts. 'We all know the same thing. We aren't giving the American war fighter what they need to survive warfare today,' said Trent Emeneker, project manager of the Autonomy Portfolio at the military's Defence Innovation Unit, which organised the exercise in Alaska and paid for the development of the drone prototypes that flew there. 'If we had to go to war tomorrow, do we have what we need? No. What we are trying to do is fix that.' Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has acknowledged that the country has fallen behind, and he announced a series of new policies and investments in drones that he vowed would close the gap. In a video last week, he cited outdated rules and procurement processes as making it too difficult for commanding officers to buy drones and train their soldiers to use them. 'While our adversaries have produced millions of cheap drones,' he said, 'we were mired in bureaucratic red tape.' The video came on the heels of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month called 'Unleashing American Drone Dominance', which directs federal agencies to fast-track approvals for American drone manufacturers and protect the US drone supply chain from 'undue foreign influence'. But it will take time and money to grow a domestic industry capable of producing enough drones to meet the needs of the US military. Although the US has excelled in developing large, complex unmanned aircraft such as the Predator and Reaper drones, which cost tens of millions of dollars apiece, today's conflicts have been dominated by swarms of smaller, inexpensive drones that are largely produced with components from China. The Defence Department did not respond to requests for comment. Drones have become a weapon of choice on modern battlefields. In the early days of the war in Ukraine, soldiers beat back the Russian invasion by adding deadly modifications to the Mavic, a drone sold to hobbyists by DJI, a Chinese company that is the world's largest drone manufacturer. Versions of the Mavic cost between US$300 and US$5000, according to online retailers. DJI, of Shenzhen, China, accounts for about 70% of all commercial drones sold globally for hobby and industrial use, such as aerial photography, package delivery, and weather research. The privately held company sells its equipment to customers in the US — there's even an authorised store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan — but US law bars the military from buying Chinese drones. The company declined to share market data, but industry experts estimate that DJI's output far exceeds that of any other drone manufacturer. 'No one even comes close,' said Bobby Sakaki, chief executive of UAS NEXUS, a drone industry consultant. 'DJI can make millions of drones per year. That is a hundred times more than anybody in the US can make.' Although DJI is not a military company and said it cuts off customers who use its drones for armed conflict, its near-total dominance of the market for drones and drone components has caused alarm in Washington, where some lawmakers want to ban its products so that a domestic industry can flourish. But it will take time and money to grow a domestic industry capable of producing enough drones to meet the needs of the US military. A drone made by Neros, a start-up in El Segundo, California, during a military exercise in the Yukon Training Area in Alaska, last month. A four-day test in the Alaska wilderness shows how far the US military and American drone companies lag behind China in the technology. Photo / Ash Adams, the New York Times Enter Silicon Valley investors who have been pouring money into American drone companies, anticipating that the Defence Department will place a large order for American-made drones. Peter Thiel's Founders Fund has invested more than US$1 billion in Anduril Industries, an American defence technology company that specialises in advanced autonomous systems. Trump's son Donald Trump jnr joined the board of Unusual Machines, another US drone maker, last year. About 500 companies manufacture drones in the US, producing fewer than 100,000 a year, according to Ryan Carver, communications manager for the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, a non-profit organisation of industry professionals. But many are start-ups without a track record of production or sales. Founders jockey for the chance to show off their wares to military units that are beginning to work with drones. The changes Hegseth announced last Friday, which make it easier for commanders to buy drones, will intensify that competition. 'Everyone wants to win the Army's big drone contract, get their billion-dollar cheque and go retire on an island somewhere,' said Nathan Ecelbarger, chairman of the US National Drone Association, which promotes the rapid advancement of drone and counter-drone technologies. The exercise in Alaska showed how hard it can be to develop homegrown drone capabilities. The first two days of testing were full of setbacks. Two companies were testing prototypes of a long-range unmanned craft that could fly for hours, navigate without GPS or a human operator, and crash into a target that it had been trained to recognise. They were among four finalists — out of more than 100 applicants — to get the money from the Defence Innovation Unit to develop the systems. Two other companies were set to test their prototypes in Ukraine. The craft made by Dragoon, a start-up in Tucson, Arizona, experienced engine trouble and then issues with navigation. It failed to hit a target. On the final day, it recognised a target — an M113 armoured personnel carrier — and swooped down to crash into it. The hit was considered a success, even though the target had not been the one intended. 'We have got a lot of work to do to make it operational, for sure,' said Jason Douglas, one of three co-founders of Dragoon. 'But those were huge steps.' AeroVironment fared worse. At first, its drone failed to launch. Then one crashed into a mountain after its navigation system was blocked, narrowly missing a group of soldiers who stood with their jamming equipment. Although one of its drones flew long distances and successfully crashed into a target with the help of GPS, the prototype never hit a target once its GPS was blocked. Paul Frommelt, a spokesperson for the company, noted that the exercise was a chance to collect data on 'an experimental variant of one of our products'. While many small drones are controlled by human operators, the Defence Innovation Unit has been trying to develop semiautonomous systems that can be trained by artificial intelligence to recognise targets — enemy tanks, for instance — and attack them even if communication with the human operator is cut. 'Do we need a capability like this? Yes. I think that is very clear in the modern battlefield,' said Emeneker, who is a civilian contractor for the DIU. But he acknowledged that the project might not succeed. 'Things haven't gone as smoothly as I wanted. It's clear that there are some still really hard technological challenges to overcome.' The soldiers who participated in the exercise, most of them from the Electromagnetic Warfare Platoon of the Army's 11th Airborne Division, experienced their own problems. On a mountaintop, they set up six tall electronic jammers, which looked like slender microphones attached to black tripods. They emitted radio signals that were supposed to overpower the signals sent by the drone operators. Those jammers — some of which were designed more than a decade ago to fight the war on terror — had hardly any effect. Neither did the backpacks containing newer drone-disarming equipment that some soldiers wore. Soren Monroe-Anderson, centre, chief executive and co-founder of Neros, a start-up based in El Segundo, California, during a military exercise in the Yukon Training Area in Alaska. Photo / Ash Adams, the New York Times The team had a drone-buster, too — a huge gun-like device that looked like something from the movie Ghostbusters. But no one bothered to try it. 'That thing never worked,' one man said. Over time, the soldiers improved. By the fourth day of the exercise, they had figured out how to use their jamming equipment more effectively. A black suitcase-sized box called a Magpie worked particularly well, they said. But Lieutenant-Colonel Scott Smith, director for the non-lethal effects section of the 11th Airborne Division, said the exercise highlighted how much more work Americans needed to do to prepare for a conflict involving drones. 'Their equipment just doesn't have the desired effect against the latest technology,' he said. Chris Bonzagni, a drone industry consultant with Contact Front Technologies who helped put on the Alaska test, said many of the American drones that were initially delivered to Ukraine failed on the battlefield because they were outdated or easily jammed by the Russians. 'In Ukraine, the companies delivering tech to the war fighters are with them all the time, observing first-hand what is working and what is not,' he said. Ukraine has also become a drone-making hub because its soldiers and engineers are forced to master drone technology to survive, something Americans have not experienced yet. The US event was held at the Yukon Training Area, a military site about an hour south of Fairbanks, because it was the only place where organisers could get permission to fly the drones while soldiers tried to try to jam them, Emeneker said. The electronic signals used to disrupt drones can wreak havoc with civilian aircraft, radios and cellphones, making it difficult to get clearance to conduct such exercises in populated areas. Some US drone companies do their testing and development in Ukraine. That may be why one drone stood out in Alaska: a small, short-range quadcopter created by Neros, a start-up in El Segundo, California, with an office in Ukraine, which was testing a radio. That drone, called the Archer, managed to hover about 3m over the soldiers' heads, despite their jamming equipment. Its radio toggled between multiple frequencies, switching every time soldiers tried to jam it. It carried a jar of strawberry jam, a joke from Soren Monroe-Anderson, the 22-year-old chief executive and co-founder who piloted it with what looked like a video game controller. Neros, which is providing about 6000 drones to Ukraine this year and produced the drone that appeared in Hegseth's video, has been described by some US military leaders as their best alternative to China's DJI. The Archer sells for about US$2000 each, making it one of the most affordable models. Neros produces only about 1500 Archers per month in a factory where 15 workers assemble them by hand. Monroe-Anderson, a former drone racer, said he was ramping up production and wanted to build a factory capable of making a million drones a year. He aspires to compete with DJI but acknowledged the daunting odds. 'It is so much better than really any other company in the world,' he said of DJI. 'That's the reason why it is important to do what we are doing.' This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Farah Stockman Photographs by: Tyler Hicks and Ash Adams ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
Nikkei Asia
10-07-2025
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Chinese DJI drones sold out in US as tariffs cause supply crunch
DJI's drones have become hard to find on its online store and major e-commerce sites in the U.S. © Reuters ITSURO FUJINO GUANGZHOU -- Drones made by China's DJI are disappearing from digital shelves in the U.S. as President Donald Trump's tariff policy makes exporting Chinese products to the country difficult. All of its drone series, including Mavic, Air and Mini, are sold out on the company's online shop. Market conditions and the impact of tariff policy make it difficult to secure inventory or imports in the U.S., DJI said in response to a question from Nikkei.
Business Insider
20-06-2025
- Business Insider
Ukraine released a video of a cheap drone capturing a soldier and escorting him on its own
Ukraine's military released footage on Thursday of a rare instance where a first-person-view drone captured a man identified as a Russian soldier and brought him alone to Ukrainian lines. The incident was recorded on Tuesday, said the Magyar Birds, a famed drone unit that filmed the clips. The footage shows a man clad in military attire raising his hands in surrender to a small quadcopter drone. It later cuts to an observer Mavic drone's view of the man stumbling through a forest as he follows the FPV quadcopter through several rows of concertina wire. He eventually meets a second man, who can be seen taking over the escorting of the prisoner. "The pilot did not eliminate the invader, but escorted him to our positions and handed him over to the infantry of the adjacent unit," Ukraine's ground forces wrote on its official Facebook page in the Thursday post. The Magyar Birds said on its social media channels on Wednesday that the exchange happened in the Donbas region. It added that the pilot in the clips, a crew commander with the call sign "Payne," used an "F10" drone. The F10 likely refers to a reusable, lightweight FPV drone created in late 2023 by Robert Magyar, the businessman who founded the Magyar Birds. The unit said it was the first time its pilots had captured a soldier with an FPV drone. Similar cases have been reported before, but few known instances have involved a soldier being taken captive almost purely by a quadcopter and then escorted until he reaches enemy lines. In September, for example, an FPV drone pilot from Ukraine's 54th Mechanized Brigade was recorded dropping a soldier a note and drinking water, leading the latter to surrender and follow the drone to a trench. Ukrainian soldiers later arrived and apprehended the man. And in February, the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade released a video of what it said was an FPV drone using a loudspeaker to persuade nine Russian soldiers to surrender.
