Latest news with #dronetechnology
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China's Wing Loong-2: a multi-role UAV workhorse with an overseas advantage
From Nigerian raids on Boko Haram's hideouts to Saudi strikes at Houthi positions along the shores of the Red Sea; from Pakistani sorties across the Iranian frontier to Libyan missiles in the civil war, one constant presence emerges – China's Wing Loong-2 (WL-2), showcasing the reach of Chinese drone technology across multiple conflict zones. At the same time, a variant of the same platform – the GJ-2 or 'Attack 2' – is conducting live-fire exercises around Taiwan and patrolling the South China Sea , serving as the backbone of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) uncrewed reconnaissance and combat capabilities. This medium-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of China's state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China. It was first unveiled at the 2016 Zhuhai air show , with its maiden flight the following year. The WL-2 has been bought by buyers in the Middle East, Africa and Asia and deployed in multiple combat theatres, establishing itself as one of China's most commercially successful military drone exports. Domestically, the system went into service in the PLA in 2018, designated as the GJ-2. The weapon, minus the winglets from the WL-2 prototype, made its debut at China's 2019 National Day military parade . Aside from military applications, the platform is also used for surveillance and communications in civilian disaster rescue operations. The WL-2/GJ-2 is China's answer to the General Atomics MQ-9 drones from the United States. Its conventional aerodynamic design bears many similarities to the American MQ-9 Reaper drone , including its dimensions: 11 metres (36 feet) long and 20.5 metres wide. The aircraft's maximum take-off weight is 4,200kg (9,260 pounds) – almost 500kg lighter than the Reaper – but its external weapons payload capacity is much smaller at 480kg compared to the Reaper's 1,400kg.
CBC
06-08-2025
- General
- CBC
Mer Bleue bog 'filled with bombs' according to new drone scans
Social Sharing A recent project by Carleton University graduate students used metal detectors attached to drones to locate unexploded bombs in the Mer Bleue bog, which was used as a practice bombing range in the Second World War. Graduate students Pablo Arzate and Sareh Mirbagheri used magnetometers mounted on drones to survey part of the bog, a 3,500-hectare conservation area in Ottawa's east end that's owned and is operated by the National Capital Commission (NCC). The site consists primarily of peat bog and was actively used as a bombing range between 1942 and 1945. While the Department of National Defence (DND) knows where the bombs were dropped, it doesn't know how many there are. But after surveying a small area with drones, the students' team was able to count more than 17 unexploded ordnances (UXOs) in one specific zone. "It was really interesting for all of us to see that result [in] the just the small part that we were exploring," Mirbagheri said. "Our technology doesn't say specifically, 'Hey this is a bomb, this is an airplane,'" added Arzate. "But it tells us, 'Hey there's something down here.' And the story of this place and the story of the geology tell us the whole interpretation — which is [that] this place is filled with bombs, exploded or unexploded." A DND spokesperson told CBC News that while it was not involved in the project, it welcomes innovation in the unexploded bomb removal field. In 1960, a bomb disposal team was tasked with clearing the range. But due to the nature of the terrain, that never happened, and the bog was never declared free of explosives. Ownership of the land was transferred to the NCC in 1965. DND said the types of munitions dropped included aerial bombs weighing up to about 450 kilograms. 'A pretty honourable cause' Arzate said that for the project, the team flew drones over the survey area five hours a day over the course of four days. Because of the bog's traits, any non-organic objects in the terrain would stand out to the detectors they used, he said. "The bog itself is very different from everything else. It's made of pure organic matter," he said. "That makes it easy for us when we're trying to detect abnormalities that are not composed of organic material." Using drones was particularly valuable, Arzate said, because they could survey the terrain without disturbing the site, demonstrating that the work can be done without needing heavy equipment. "I think we're really proud of where we're at and what we've achieved, especially because ... there's no big company giving us money," he said. Arzate said he intended to use the project's aerial surveying technology for mining and resource extraction, but wanted to demonstrate that it could be applied widely, including for defence and land remediation purposes. "We're having to use this technology to clear the the minefield and the bombs that have been there or are being placed as we speak, and we thought that this is a pretty honourable cause to join," he said. According to DND spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin, the UXO risk is low since there is little to no human contact with the parts of the bog where the explosives are located. Because of that, there are no plans to remove unexploded bombs unless the land is redeveloped.
CBC
06-08-2025
- General
- CBC
'This place is filled with bombs': Students use drones to detect bog's explosive secrets
Social Sharing A recent project by Carleton University graduate students used metal detectors attached to drones to locate unexploded bombs in the Mer Bleue bog, which was used as a practice bombing range in the Second World War. Graduate students Pablo Arzate and Sareh Mirbagheri used magnetometers mounted on drones to survey part of the bog, a 3,500-hectare conservation area in Ottawa's east end that's owned and is operated by the National Capital Commission (NCC). The site consists primarily of peat bog and was actively used as a bombing range between 1942 and 1945. While the Department of National Defence (DND) knows where the bombs were dropped, it doesn't know how many there are. But after surveying a small area with drones, the students' team was able to count more than 17 unexploded ordnances (UXOs) in one specific zone. "It was really interesting for all of us to see that result [in] the just the small part that we were exploring," Mirbagheri said. "Our technology doesn't say specifically, 'Hey this is a bomb, this is an airplane,'" added Arzate. "But it tells us, 'Hey there's something down here.' And the story of this place and the story of the geology tell us the whole interpretation — which is [that] this place is filled with bombs, exploded or unexploded." A DND spokesperson told CBC News that while it was not involved in the project, it welcomes innovation in the unexploded bomb removal field. In 1960, a bomb disposal team was tasked with clearing the range. But due to the nature of the terrain, that never happened, and the bog was never declared free of explosives. Ownership of the land was transferred to the NCC in 1965. DND said the types of munitions dropped included aerial bombs weighing up to about 450 kilograms. 'A pretty honourable cause' Arzate said that for the project, the team flew drones over the survey area five hours a day over the course of four days. Because of the bog's traits, any non-organic objects in the terrain would stand out to the detectors they used, he said. "The bog itself is very different from everything else. It's made of pure organic matter," he said. "That makes it easy for us when we're trying to detect abnormalities that are not composed of organic material." Using drones was particularly valuable, Arzate said, because they could survey the terrain without disturbing the site, demonstrating that the work can be done without needing heavy equipment. "I think we're really proud of where we're at and what we've achieved, especially because ... there's no big company giving us money," he said. Arzate said he intended to use the project's aerial surveying technology for mining and resource extraction, but wanted to demonstrate that it could be applied widely, including for defence and land remediation purposes. "We're having to use this technology to clear the the minefield and the bombs that have been there or are being placed as we speak, and we thought that this is a pretty honourable cause to join," he said. According to DND spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin, the UXO risk is low since there is little to no human contact with the parts of the bog where the explosives are located. Because of that, there are no plans to remove unexploded bombs unless the land is redeveloped.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China's new electronic warfare tech disrupts enemy systems while protecting friendly signals
Chinese researchers have reportedly developed a new electronic warfare (EW) system that can simultaneously interfere with enemy systems while keeping friendly ones untouched in a 'null zone'. Likened to the eye of a storm, this new technology represents a significant shift in conventional EW systems. To help conceptualize how it works, think of a storm. Everything inside it is disrupted by intense electromagnetic noise. But the center of a hurricane, colloquially called 'the eye', is completely calm. The new technology intentionally creates the 'eye' for friendly forces, even in the middle of aggressive electronic warfare. The innovation reportedly works on coordinated drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) acting as precise jamming sources. These drones emit carefully crafted radio signals that can be adjusted for waveform, amplitude, phase, and timing (all controllable radio frequency signal parameters). Dual drones act in tandem to create 'the eye' The dual feature of both jamming enemy devices while allowing ally communication involves two drones acting in conjunction. While the first acts as the primary jammer, neutralizing enemy signals through disruptive waves; the second emits a counter signal that nullifies the jamming wave at an location where friendly forces are operating. The signals cancel each other out at the point they intersect, creating 'the eye' or the calm. In signal processing terms, the technology uses beamforming and phase cancellation strategies, typically found in advanced communications but now repurposed for electronic warfare. Older conventional jamming or suppression EW systems tend to be omnidirectional, with the signal effectively broadcast in all directions in a 3D space. Such systems are not picky, and tend to suppress all vulnerable electronic systems within range. These systems tend to be manned to some extent and have a relatively low precision. More advanced systems, like those used on the EA-6B 'Prowler', EA-18G 'Growler', or even Russia's 'Khibiny', use directional jamming techniques that are more focused. Potentially revolutionary but only in simulation stage The new Chinese system, on the other hand, would overcome many of these downsides. During computer simulations, the researchers tested the system under heavy jamming conditions. The jamming signals were 100 times stronger than the target signal (20 dB = 10^2). Despite this, they were able altogether to cancel out the interference at the friendly receiver. "Under the simulation condition of a 20 dB interference-to-signal ratio, electromagnetic interference at the target legitimate user can be reduced to zero," wrote the team led by Yang Jian, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Chinese journal Acta Electronica Sinica. The feat is impressive if the claims are true, as it implies extremely precise spatial control of the electromagnetic environment. For military applications, this would be very useful as it would enable a kind of 'selective jamming', offering a huge tactical edge. It would enable secure operations in contested environments (e.g., GPS-denied zones). Such a system would also make EW less of a blunt instrument and more of a surgical tool. As impressive as all this sounds, it is essential to note that the system is currently simulation only and not proven in real-world tests. It also relies heavily on precise drone coordination and advanced real-time signal control, which is technically difficult to pull off under combat conditions.
Zawya
29-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Omani startup targets onboarding of 5,000 drone pilots
MUSCAT: Omani drone startup SERB, backed by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) through Future Fund Oman (FFO), plans to onboard 5,000 drone pilots as part of its mission to build a comprehensive drone management ecosystem in the Sultanate. One of the most prominent drone-based service providers in the country, SERB is currently partnering with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the development and operation of the 'SERB Platform', a centralized system for drone registration and management. Formally unveiled by the CAA on January 28, 2025, the platform aims to enhance air navigation safety, regulate drone usage, and streamline the permitting process for drone operators. On the first anniversary of its launch, FFO highlighted its partnership with SERB as a model of high-impact economic growth. 'SERB is leading the transformation of drone management in the Sultanate. With support from FFO and strategic collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority, SERB aligns closely with Oman Vision 2040—aiming to enhance airspace safety, foster innovation in drone technology, and support the broad use of drones across the economy,' FFO noted in an Impact Report compiled by Oxford Business Group. As part of its strategic goal to foster skills development and industry growth, SERB aims to initially onboard around 5,000 drone pilots. It has also laid the groundwork for collaboration with 13 government entities to build the regulatory framework underpinning the platform. Once fully operational, the SERB Platform will offer a range of services including safe zone identification to help drone operators locate authorized areas for activities, a registration portal to simplify drone registration and permit acquisition, air traffic management capabilities to ensure safe integration into existing airspace, and environmental protection compliance mechanisms to uphold safety standards for people, property, and the natural environment. Looking ahead, SERB has ambitions to expand its regional footprint. 'SERB aims to extend its operations to regional markets, including Abu Dhabi, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. It plans to onboard major players in drone delivery, broaden the platform's capabilities, and position itself as a leader in technological innovation and ecosystem acceleration,' FFO added. Oman's domestic drone industry has seen strong momentum in recent years, attracting tens of millions of dollars in investment. A wave of startups and tech ventures now specialize in areas such as aerial inspection, precision agriculture, logistics, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure surveying. An increasing number of government ministries, oilfield operators, and logistics companies are partnering with local drone firms to implement innovative services—for example, deploying pesticide-spraying drones in date farms. Regulatory bodies, including the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP), have introduced technical standards and frameworks to nurture innovation within the sector. The continued growth of the drone ecosystem also supports youth entrepreneurship and the integration of advanced technologies—such as AI-powered logistics and smart agriculture—into national development strategies. 2025 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
