China Unveils a New Drone Capable of Overwhelming Enemy Air Defenses by Splitting into Six Parts
China has developed a new drone that can travel further than traditional models and is composed of multiple smaller units, potentially changing the rules of air warfare.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, this modular drone could easily overwhelm the defense systems protecting enemy airspace.
Developed by Si Che, a scientist at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and his team, this aerial device can divide into two, three, or even six separate units. Each module is equipped with its own propeller, allowing it to hover similarly to conventional drones while undertaking reconnaissance, tracking, and attack missions.
Published in the Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica journal, the study reveals that the modular drone can cover twice the distance of its traditional multirotor counterparts. After splitting, the drones' flight efficiency was over 40% higher than conventional structures.
The innovation was inspired by the unique structure of the maple seed, which has a wing-like feature enabling it to glide or even ascend in windy conditions. The team conducted wind tunnel tests with the various units to determine the most efficient assembly for flight. The tests concluded that the configurations were highly stable, both as separate units and when assembled together.
Although the modular drone's flight speed falls short of traditional drones, the objective is to paralyze air defenses with the sheer quantity of devices, rendering this disadvantage moot.
Developed by Si Che, a scientist at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and his team, this aerial device can divide into two, three, or even six separate units. Each module is equipped with its own propeller, allowing it to hover similarly to conventional drones while undertaking reconnaissance, tracking, and attack missions.
Published in the Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica journal, the study reveals that the modular drone can cover twice the distance of its traditional multirotor counterparts. After splitting, the drones' flight efficiency was over 40% higher than conventional structures.
The innovation was inspired by the unique structure of the maple seed, which has a wing-like feature enabling it to glide or even ascend in windy conditions. The team conducted wind tunnel tests with the various units to determine the most efficient assembly for flight. The tests concluded that the configurations were highly stable, both as separate units and when assembled together.
Although the modular drone's flight speed falls short of traditional drones, the objective is to paralyze air defenses with the sheer quantity of devices, rendering this disadvantage moot.
Translation:
Translated by AI
