The biomimetic drones They are designed to imitate the shape and behavior of living organisms, such as birds or insects, and operate in a camouflaged manner so as not to be detected. China has shown its latest advances in this field with the release of a video on the Internet in which a new drone of this type, imitating a small birdappears being used by one of the units of the People’s Liberation Army Marine CorpsEPL.
The drone, seen from a distance, It is indistinguishable from a real bird because of the way it flaps its wings and flies naturally.The technical details and specific features of these drones are scarce, but their deployment within the PLA forces has been confirmed, according to the TopWar media outlet.
Are birds real?
This is a bird-shaped drone used by the Chinese PLA Marine Corps.pic.twitter.com/m1D5CGygE5
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 2, 2024
China is not new to the ornithopter field. Back in 2018, a government program called Pigeondove in English, intended to develop Mimic drones for urban operationsThese UAVs were designed to integrate into these types of environments without arousing suspicion.
In 2022Chinese engineers presented a large flying mechanical bird that weighed 1.6 kilograms and had a wingspan of two metersPowered by a lithium battery, the drone could stay in the air for an hour and a half, demonstrating China’s progress in the field of biomimetic drones.
Although many countries are also working on bird-shaped drones, Most are limited to fixed-wing propeller-powered models.For example, the Dutch surveillance drone Evolution Eagleimitating an eagle, can only fool the human eye from a great distanceIn contrast, Chinese flapping-wing drones offer a much more effective and realistic camouflage.
This technological advance reflects the Chinese Army’s interest in developing equipment capable of integrating perfectly into its environment to Discreet and effective reconnaissance missionsAccording to a design originally published in Chinese media, the small drone in the video features components such as a camera, antenna, data link, flight control system, wind speed sensor, battery and a wing-flapping mechanism.
The adoption of these ornithopter drones by the PLA represents a clear advance in military surveillance and intelligence strategies, offering a significant tactical advantage due to to their ability to operate without raising suspicionIt remains to be seen how this technology will be exploited in the coming years and what impact it will have on military doctrines.