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Drones

Drones

The latest news, analysis and opinion on drones, especially Chinese drone makers and drone usage.

Visitors look at an unmanned aerial vehicle displayed at an expo in Chennai in May 2022. India has taken steps to catalyse its domestic ecosystem to boost drone production. Photo: AFP

India’s drones take flight as ‘cost-effective’ solution to fighter jet wait

Pakistan conflict has sharpened India’s focus on boosting production of drones indigenously as well as deploying them, analysts say.

4 hours agovideocam

UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

Chinese drones carry 180 tonnes of steel and concrete up mountain

24 Jul 2025 - 7:00PM

Ukraine demands Zelensky-Putin talks, Russia proposes brief truces

24 Jul 2025 - 1:42PMvideocam

Chinese scientists break design ‘curse’ that killed US Navy’s drone programme

Research team says a revolutionary software design could provide ‘critical technical support’ for next-generation warplanes.

23 Jul 2025 - 9:59PMvideocam

The US X-47B programme was cancelled 10 years ago. Photo: AP

China's military weapons

Is this new tailless UAV China’s answer to next-generation drone warfare?

Clips on social media show tailless aircraft with a distinctive diamond-shaped delta wing and accompanied by turboprop transport planes.

23 Jul 2025 - 1:37PMvideocam

Russian troops returned by Ukraine for medical care ahead of talks

Soldiers taken to Belarus as Ukraine and Russia prepare for new talks in Turkey on Wednesday.

23 Jul 2025 - 12:47PM

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China's military weapons

China showcases full spectrum of drone technology in ‘border control’ exercise

Simulation features latest OW-5 anti-laser weapon, special combat tactical devices and full range of Norinco’s Flying Dragon series.

22 Jul 2025 - 6:22PMvideocam

Live operations across six phases of the futuristic battlefield scenario covered reconnaissance, AI planning, infiltration, aerial attack, elimination and anti-access, state media report says. Photo: CCTV

China’s military

Video | China stages drone warfare demonstration

22 Jul 2025 - 4:00PM

Inside the secretive factory making Russian kamikaze drones to attack Ukraine

Russian state TV shows teenagers working inside a giant plant assembling the deadly attack drones.

22 Jul 2025 - 4:35PM

Russia unleashes major aerial attack on Kyiv hours before Ukraine aid talks

Ukraine's capital targeted as Western allies meet virtually to discuss accelerating weapons deliveries to Kyiv.

22 Jul 2025 - 5:05PM

An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the Ukraine capital Kyiv. Photo: Reuters

China unveils new drone that takes off and lands on its tail like a rocket

UAV was put through its paces in a disaster rescue drill in the mountains of Sichuan province, according to state media report.

18 Jul 2025 - 10:00AM

The new UAV has an intelligent control system that could be used for drone swarming. Photo: Handout

Russia’s relentless strikes on Ukraine test Trump’s 50-day peace ultimatum

Russia launched 400 drones and a missile at Kharkiv and Kryvyi Rih, which is President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown.

16 Jul 2025 - 8:20PMvideocam

Ukraine installs anti-drone nets over roads to protect frontline supply routes

Ukrainian engineers deploy kilometres of overhead nets, the latest adaptation in the evolving aerial conflict.

16 Jul 2025 - 3:36PM

Trump says Ukraine shouldn’t target Moscow, amid talk of US-supplied missiles

The US president has given Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal, saying that Nato members would supply Kyiv with new weapons.

16 Jul 2025 - 5:32PMvideocam

Red Square in Moscow, Russia. Photo: AP

Russia launches massive drone and missile barrage on Ukraine

Russia launched its fourth major aerial assault this month, unleashing almost 600 drones and 26 missiles across Ukraine, killing two people.

12 Jul 2025 - 5:24PM

A firefighter works at the site of a Russian drone strike in Lviv, Ukraine on Saturday. Photo: Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Reuters

China's military weapons

US puts jet-drone teams to bigger test in race with China for air supremacy

American air force fighters work with uncrewed Valkyries to see how well they integrate.

12 Jul 2025 - 6:25AMvideocam

China creates first cyborg bee with world’s lightest brain controller

Chinese-made device can command the movements of bees, making them ideal to help search for survivors in earthquake ruins, scientists say.

10 Jul 2025 - 2:00PMvideocam

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Ukraine detains Chinese father-son duo suspected of spying

The Chinese nationals are accused of attempting to smuggle secret documents on Ukraine’s Neptune missile system to China, further straining Kyiv-Beijing relations.

9 Jul 2025 - 10:36PM

Ukraine’s security service said on Wednesday it had detained two Chinese nationals who tried to smuggle navy missile technology out of the war-torn country. Photo: Shutterstock

Ukraine says Russia fired record 728 drones in overnight attack

The latest strike beat a previous Russian record set in the night of July 4 into the following day.

9 Jul 2025 - 5:31PM

Ukraine plans to expand drone production with allies after war, Zelensky says

Cooperation would take place with all countries that can help with investments, individual parts and production facilities, Zelensky said.

8 Jul 2025 - 5:55AMvideocam

Russia claims first village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk as ceasefire talks stall

Moscow announced the capture of Dachne, its first claimed foothold in the industrial Dnipropetrovsk region, following renewed drone barrages. Kyiv denies the claim.

7 Jul 2025 - 9:50PM

A burnt car next to damaged buildings following a drone attack in Dnipro on March 29. Photo: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration/AFP

Israeli military strikes targets at Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen

Two missiles were launched from Yemen towards Israel just hours later, the Israeli army said.

7 Jul 2025 - 10:54AM

A bridge crane damaged by Israeli air strikes in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen in July, 2024. File photo: Reuters

UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

China’s military will need structural change to fend off drone threats: experts

Writing in the PLA Daily, the analysts predict likely need for specialised counter-drone rapid response combat units.

6 Jul 2025 - 11:00PMvideocam

US-China relations

Trump wants to ground China’s drones – but have they flown too high to reach?

An executive order to limit China’s market penetration and boost the US’ capacity in drones might be too little, too late.

6 Jul 2025 - 8:30AMvideocam

Ukraine says it struck Russian base containing fighter jets and glide bombs

The Ukrainian military described the Borisoglebsk facility as the home base of Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM aircraft.

6 Jul 2025 - 1:07AM

A Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber prepares to take off during an air show in Zhukovsky, Russia, in August 2019. Photo: Kremlin via dpa

Nepal uses drones to clean up Mount Everest’s trash-covered slopes

Between mid-April and mid-May, the drones operated by Nepal-based firm Airlift Technology handled more than 280 kilograms of refuse.

5 Jul 2025 - 6:31PM

A drone model from Chinese producer DJI being tested on Mount Everest in 2024. Photo: dpa

Trump and Zelensky discuss weapons for Ukraine amid escalating Russian strikes

The leaders agreed to work on increasing Kyiv’s capability to ‘defend the sky’, as Ukraine seeks more Patriot missiles.

5 Jul 2025 - 5:49AM

Is Japan facing higher risk of drone warfare over Diaoyu Islands?

Japan has said its military could shoot down foreign drones flying over its territory, days after a Chinese-made drone entered its airspace.

4 Jul 2025 - 4:18PMvideocam

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