Latest news with #reconnaissance
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Chinese military unveils mosquito-sized drones that can perform battlefield missions
China's National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) has developed a mosquito-sized drone designed for covert military operations. Details are a little thin on the ground, but its development is likely focusing on surveillance and reconnaissance missions in complex or sensitive environments. The drone's main unique selling point is its compact size, making it relatively easy to hide or conceal. It has two leaflike wings that are reportedly able to flap just like an insect's wings. 'Here in my hand is a mosquito-like type of robot. Miniature bionic robots like this one are especially suited to information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield,' Liang Hexiang, a student at NUDT, told CCTV while holding up the drone between his fingers. The drone also has three hair-thin "legs" that could be used for perching or landing. Dinky drones of this kind could likely be used in urban combat, search and rescue, or electronic surveillance. It could also be a valuable tool for reconnaissance and covert special missions. To make it work, the drone features advanced integration of power systems, control electronics, and sensors, all in an incredibly tiny package. These drones can operate undetected, making them valuable in covert warfare, espionage, or tactical reconnaissance. However, given their size, they are pretty challenging to design and build. Engineering at that scale is challenging, particularly with components such as batteries, communications, and sensors that must be miniaturized without sacrificing functionality. Its development may also signal a broader trend. For example, the U.S., Norway, and other countries are also investing in micro-UAVs for both military and non-military purposes. Norway's "Black Hornet" is a prime example. This palm-sized device is in service with many Western militaries and is used for close-range scouting. The latest version, "Black Hornet 4," has improved durability and range. Developed by Teledyne FLIR Defence, this drone won the 2025 US Department of Defence Blue UAS Refresh award, which recognises unmanned aerial systems. The model's enhanced battery life, weather resilience, and communication range address common challenges faced by microdrone developers. Harvard has also previously unveiled its RoboBee micro-UAV. Similarly powered using flapping "wings," this drone can fly, land, and even transition from water to air. In 2021, the US Air Force confirmed that it was developing tiny drones. However, there have been no updates regarding any completed technology or deployment. Beyond military applications, micro-UAVs like these could have essential roles in other industries. In the medical sciences, for example, similar technologies are being researched for use in surgery, drug delivery, diagnostics, and medical imaging. It could also be used in applications such as environmental monitoring, where future microdrones could be utilized for pollution tracking, crop monitoring, or disaster response. Looking at the bigger picture, "microdrones" like these mark a significant step in military micro-robotics, demonstrating that countries like China are advancing rapidly in next-generation surveillance tools. It also highlights a global race where small, intelligent, and stealthy robots could redefine how both soldiers and scientists interact with the world, whether on a battlefield or inside a human body.
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Japan and China trade blame over Chinese fighter jets flying close to Japanese planes
Japan and China blamed each other on Thursday after Tokyo raised concern that a Chinese fighter jet came dangerously close to Japanese reconnaissance planes. The Chinese fighter jets took off from one of two Chinese aircraft carriers that were operating together for the first time in the Pacific, Japan's Defense Ministry said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that Japan conveyed its 'serious concern' to China that such close encounters could cause accidental collisions. According to Japan, a Chinese J-15 fighter jet took off from the Shandong aircraft carrier on Saturday and chased a Japanese P-3C aircraft on reconnaissance duty, coming within an 'abnormally close distance' of 45 meters (50 yards) for about 40 minutes. A Chinese jet also crossed 900 meters (980 yards) in front of a Japanese P-3C for about 80 minutes on Sunday, the ministry said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian defended China's activities as being fully consistent with international law and practices, and blamed Japanese vessels and airplanes for conducting close reconnaissance of China's military activities. The incidents occurred in the Pacific, where Japan's Self-Defense Force spotted the two carriers, the Shandong and the Liaoning, almost simultaneously operating near southern Japanese islands for the first time. Aircraft carriers are critical to projecting power at a distance. China routinely sends coast guard vessels, warships and warplanes around disputed East China Sea islands, but now they also reach as far as Guam, a U.S. Pacific territory with military bases. Both Chinese carriers operated in waters off Iwo Jima, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) south of Tokyo. The Liaoning also sailed inside Japan's exclusive economic zone near Minamitorishima, the country's easternmost island, Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said. There was no violation of Japanese territorial waters, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.
Associated Press
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Japan and China trade blame over Chinese fighter jets flying close to Japanese planes
TOKYO (AP) — Japan and China blamed each other on Thursday after Tokyo raised concern that a Chinese fighter jet came dangerously close to Japanese reconnaissance planes. The Chinese fighter jets took off from one of two Chinese aircraft carriers that were operating together for the first time in the Pacific, Japan's Defense Ministry said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that Japan conveyed its 'serious concern' to China that such close encounters could cause accidental collisions. According to Japan, a Chinese J-15 fighter jet took off from the Shandong aircraft carrier on Saturday and chased a Japanese P-3C aircraft on reconnaissance duty, coming within an 'abnormally close distance' of 45 meters (50 yards) for about 40 minutes. A Chinese jet also crossed 900 meters (980 yards) in front of a Japanese P-3C for about 80 minutes on Sunday, the ministry said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian defended China's activities as being fully consistent with international law and practices, and blamed Japanese vessels and airplanes for conducting close reconnaissance of China's military activities. The incidents occurred in the Pacific, where Japan's Self-Defense Force spotted the two carriers, the Shandong and the Liaoning, almost simultaneously operating near southern Japanese islands for the first time. Aircraft carriers are critical to projecting power at a distance. China routinely sends coast guard vessels, warships and warplanes around disputed East China Sea islands, but now they also reach as far as Guam, a U.S. Pacific territory with military bases. Both Chinese carriers operated in waters off Iwo Jima, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) south of Tokyo. The Liaoning also sailed inside Japan's exclusive economic zone near Minamitorishima, the country's easternmost island, Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said. There was no violation of Japanese territorial waters, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.
BBC News
01-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Manston Spitfire fuselage display marks efforts of Kent pilots
The fuselage of a Spitfire shot down during World War Two has gone on display at a museum to mark the efforts of Kent pilots who served as "spies in the sky".The Spitfire AA810 was part of the RAF photo reconnaissance unit (PRU), which played a crucial role in obtaining intelligence for Allied commanders to plan military down in 1942 and later pulled from a peat bog in Norway by a group of volunteers, the Spitfire AA810 was later rebuilt on the Isle of fuselage is now on display at the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum in Manston, Kent, as part of a bid to raise awareness of the Spitfire reconnaissance team. Museum manager Robert Westbrook said that while people normally associate the Spitfire's role as a "fighter plane during the Battle of Britain" it actually flew unarmed. He said it could only escape enemy fire due to its "speed and manoeuvrability".The museum is working with the Spitfire AA810 project team to highlight the stories of the pilots from Kent who flew these essential AA810 on display was piloted by a young Scottish apprentice engineer, Flt Lt Alastair "Sandy" Gunn, who was attempting to photograph a German battle bailed out but was captured, interrogated, imprisoned and later executed after the Stalag Luft III "Great Escape".The escape attempt was cemented in popular culture in the 1963 film of the same name, which starred Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough and James Garner. Descendants of Kent pilots who were part of the PRU have told the BBC their Wilson, from Deal, said her father joined the RAF when he was 21 and the family were "very proud" of his contributions to the said: "What he did was very brave but he was modest about it."She felt he should be "recognised and appreciated" for his role during the conflict."Even though each generation has changed - it's important to remember what happened in the past," she said. Guy Leaning, whose father Sqn Ldr Anthony Leaning also served as a "spy in the sky", said the PRU's efforts in the conflict were largely said the intelligence they provided helped the Allies win the war. He added: "I think the PRU isn't well known because they carried out secret operations but I am pleased my father, his friends and my two godfathers are recognised for their efforts."He said his father never talked about those who did not return."He lost a friend but they just carried on fighting," he said. The PRU was formed in September 1939 and during World War Two, the team captured more than 26m images of enemy operations and Hoskins, from West Sussex, is the director of the Spitfire AA810 2018, Mr Hoskins and his team recovered Gunn's aircraft from a peat bog in Norway and rebuilt it on the Isle of Wight. He said it was important to tell the stories of the brave pilots, adding: "More than 1,700 PRU pilots and navigators came from 23 different nationalities."According to the Spitfire AA810 project, 39 of the pilots were from Kent; 17 were killed during the operations while four were either captured or evaded capture.
Globe and Mail
27-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Red Cat Partners with ESAero to Support Manufacturing for Teal's Black Widow™
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) ("Red Cat"), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, today announced a partnership with ESAero to provide critical AS9100 manufacturing capacity for the Black Widow sUAS and its subsystems. The AS9100 standard ensures a manufacturer has a quality management system in place to meet the stringent requirements of the aerospace industry. Teal Drones is a wholly owned subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings. The company's Black Widow drone is a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) designed for short-range reconnaissance (SRR) missions. The system, which was down selected for the U.S. Army's SRR Program of Record contract, provides military operators with improved situational awareness, autonomous capabilities, and rugged performance in contested environments. 'As we ramp up production of the Black Widow to fulfill our SRR contracts and meet growing demand from U.S. and international customers, securing high-quality, aerospace-certified manufacturing capacity is critical,' said Jeff Thompson, Red Cat CEO. 'ESAero's facilities, combined with their deep engineering expertise, make them an ideal partner for Red Cat. This collaboration supports our ability to scale manufacturing, focus on continuous improvement, and deliver mission-ready sUAS platforms to the warfighters that depend on them.' ESAero is committed to supporting Red Cat's mission of delivering high-quality Made-in-America sUAS to its customers and the warfighter. With multiple AS9100-certified manufacturing facilities located in San Luis Obispo, CA, ESAero is well-positioned to enhance the production throughput of Teal's technologies for key customers. ESAero's vertically integrated facilities and robust supply chain are perfectly suited to bolster the production of components and subsystems for Black Widow in a schedule-driven manner. 'We have had a great relationship with Red Cat over the past year and a half supporting various developments, including the Teal 2 and Black Widow,' said Andrew Gibson, President, CEO, and Co-Founder of ESAero. 'During this time, we have made significant investments in our manufacturing capability for producing Group I – III UAS at scale, which we are thrilled to now provide to Red Cat and Teal. We believe this partnership will effectively and efficiently provide Teal the capacity they need to meet the production needs of their customers and the warfighter.' Red Cat and ESAero recognize the importance of strong partnerships within America's industrial base to meet the critical production needs of the warfighter. By combining Teal's core technology with ESAero's proven ability to scale production of advanced systems, Black Widow will be well positioned to be deployed rapidly and reliably. About Red Cat Holdings, Inc. Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat has developed a leading-edge Family of Systems. This includes the flagship Black Widow™, a small unmanned ISR system that was awarded the U.S. Army's Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record contract. The Family of Systems also includes TRICHON™, a fixed wing VTOL for extended endurance and range, and FANG™, the industry's first line of NDAA compliant FPV drones optimized for military operations with precision strike capabilities. Learn more at About Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero) ESAero produces Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and advanced aerospace technologies for commercial and military applications. An established leader in the field, ESAero has been demonstrating for decades its core competencies in the design and manufacturing of innovative, reliable, and scalable aircraft systems including power and battery management systems. Based in San Luis Obispo, California, ESAero provides vertically integrated AS9100 certified services in R&D, engineering, design for manufacturing, rapid prototyping, testing, and serialized production expanding in the thousands. With over 130,000 ESAero has the capacity, capability, and facilities to scale and accelerate manufacturing to support its partners and customers. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "contemplate," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "seek," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "aim," "should," "will" "would," or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Contact: INVESTORS: E-mail: Investors@ NEWS MEDIA:
