https://www.scmp.com/rss/326765/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on drones, especially Chinese drone makers and drone usage. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Japan plans to introduce a fleet of kamikaze drones and low-cost missiles to boost deterrence against regional threats including China, according to Japanese media reports. The Yomiuri newspaper and Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday that the strategy was focused on “integrated attacks” from unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range stand-off missiles, citing government and ruling coalition sources. They said the drones and missiles would be used to break down enemy air defences and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348960/eye-china-japan-looks-kamikaze-drones-and-low-cost-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348960/eye-china-japan-looks-kamikaze-drones-and-low-cost-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters Students across Russia are being offered large financial incentives ⁠to join drone units fighting in Ukraine as operators and engineers, while companies in Russia’s central Ryazan region have been given quotas to sign up workers for the army, documents show. The recruitment effort, which comes as Russian forces continue to grind forwards on the battlefield in Ukraine and as US-brokered peace talks are on ice due to the Iran war, suggests Moscow is diversifying its push to replenish its army’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3348784/russia-luring-students-large-financial-packages-join-drone-units?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3348784/russia-luring-students-large-financial-packages-join-drone-units?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:42:43 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has conducted the maiden flight of the Changying-8, which it says is the world’s heaviest multi-terrain cargo drone with the potential for military applications. The CY-8, which was developed under defence contractor China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco), is capable of short take-offs and landings as well as operating on high-altitude plateaus and island regions. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the drone successfully completed its maiden flight on Tuesday morning... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348559/china-tests-worlds-heaviest-cargo-drone-suited-high-altitude-and-island-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348559/china-tests-worlds-heaviest-cargo-drone-suited-high-altitude-and-island-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:29:17 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US ⁠military is upgrading White House facilities for the new East Wing, the administration said on Monday, after US President Donald Trump said the ballroom would be built atop a “massive” fortified complex. “The military is making some upgrades ‌to their facilities here at the White House and I’m not privy to provide any more details on that,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing. Leavitt’s comments followed Trump’s own update on the US$400 million White House... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348457/white-house-ballroom-project-include-massive-military-complex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348457/white-house-ballroom-project-include-massive-military-complex?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:15:22 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Chinese researchers say they have built an 11-satellite network for a jam-resistant, high-accuracy optical navigation system, designed to provide positioning where GPS is unavailable or disrupted, for everything from self-driving cars and drones to deep-space missions. Optical navigation has also been used in the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, helping drones developed by companies such as Asio Technologies and General Atomics operate in environments where GPS signals are jammed. While... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348318/lighthouses-space-chinese-jam-proof-satellite-network-fill-gps-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348318/lighthouses-space-chinese-jam-proof-satellite-network-fill-gps-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:01:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A drone strike claimed by Ukraine triggered a fire at Russia’s Baltic port of Ust-Luga as the regional governor on Sunday reported new damage at the major exporting hub hit for a second time in days. Ukraine has intensified retaliatory attacks on Russian infrastructure – including refineries, oil depots and ports – saying they are justified as part of the effort to cut revenues funding Russia’s offensive. “There is damage to the port of Ust-Luga. There were no casualties,” Russian regional... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3348316/ukrainian-drone-strike-russian-baltic-port-starts-fire-damages-infrastructure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3348316/ukrainian-drone-strike-russian-baltic-port-starts-fire-damages-infrastructure?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:02:25 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen A hybrid propulsion system designed to make small battlefield drones stealthier and go further has passed its flight tests, according to Chinese state media. The system’s motor is driven by fuel-powered electricity, combining two systems to make the best of both, according to a report on Friday on CCTV-7, China’s military television channel. Drone propulsion has largely followed two distinct paths. Fuel-powered systems are typically used in bigger uncrewed aircraft, offering strong performance... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348309/quieter-stealthier-further-new-hybrid-unit-power-chinas-small-battle-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348309/quieter-stealthier-further-new-hybrid-unit-power-chinas-small-battle-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Citing security concerns, Beijing will significantly restrict drone sales, storage and transport after tightening regulation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Chinese capital’s airspace, according to state media. Beijing has banned the sale or lease of UAVs and 17 designated “core components” to any person or organisation unless granted public security approval, according to the regulation approved by the municipal legislative body on Friday. Bringing new drones or core components into... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348257/beijing-tightens-drone-rules-citing-low-altitude-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348257/beijing-tightens-drone-rules-citing-low-altitude-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s military canine robots have evolved into intelligent “wolf packs” with specialised roles and a shared “brain” to coordinate complex tasks in urban warfare, according to state media. Compared with earlier models deployed and tested by the People’s Liberation Army, these “robot wolves” have achieved a transformational leap from a “single-soldier support system to a coordinated swarm combat platform”, state broadcaster CCTV said in a documentary series episode that aired on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348167/rise-wolf-pack-chinas-canine-robots-evolve-think-one-urban-combat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348167/rise-wolf-pack-chinas-canine-robots-evolve-think-one-urban-combat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:18 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s DJI announced its first 360-degree drone on Thursday, directly challenging domestic rival Insta360 in a nascent market segment that is now at the centre of an escalating patent war. The new product, the DJI Avata 360, marks a significant expansion for the company beyond traditional aerial photography. The drone features a front-mounted omnidirectional camera capable of capturing high dynamic range (HDR) images at 8K resolution and 60 frames per second, according to official... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347983/dji-unveils-its-first-360-degree-drone-amid-patent-dispute-crosstown-rival-insta360?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347983/dji-unveils-its-first-360-degree-drone-amid-patent-dispute-crosstown-rival-insta360?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taipei aims to leverage geopolitics by positioning itself as an Asia-Pacific drone hub built on a supply chain decoupled from mainland China, though challenges relating to scale, politics and timing threaten its ambitious industrial strategy. The push reflects a broader effort by the administration of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te to position the island as a node in what officials have described as a “democratic supply chain” free of mainland Chinese components amid rising geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A major Russian drone and missile attack on civilian areas of Ukraine killed six people and injured at least 46, officials said on Tuesday, while Moscow’s army stepped up efforts to break through Ukrainian frontline defences in what could be the start of an anticipated spring ground offensive. Russia fired almost 400 long-range drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine’s air force said, in its biggest attack in weeks. The onslaught continued into Tuesday as dozens of drones targeted the capital Kyiv... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347764/4-dead-russia-fires-nearly-400-drones-ukraine-signs-spring-offensive-has-begun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347764/4-dead-russia-fires-nearly-400-drones-ukraine-signs-spring-offensive-has-begun?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:48:16 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese drone giant DJI has filed a lawsuit against its crosstown rival Insta360 for alleged patent infringement, a move that was made public three days ahead of the launch of DJI’s first 360-degree drone, a niche pioneered by its smaller competitor. The lawsuit, filed recently with the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court in the southern tech hub where both companies are based, involved six patents covering critical technologies including drone flight control, structural design and image... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347580/chinas-dji-sues-rival-insta360-alleged-patent-infringement-ahead-new-drone-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347580/chinas-dji-sues-rival-insta360-alleged-patent-infringement-ahead-new-drone-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen While Iranian Shahed-136 suicide drones recently drew attention for destroying key US radars and striking targets as far away as Cyprus in the US-Israel war on Iran, their distant “cousins” in China may pose an even higher risk in a future conflict. China’s ASN-301 shares the Iranian drone’s aerodynamic delta-wing design that is rooted in a common technological origin. The Chinese drone and its variants have evolved into either a highly sophisticated SEAD (suppression of enemy air defences)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347494/why-chinas-asn-301-suicide-drone-more-deadly-its-iranian-counterpart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347494/why-chinas-asn-301-suicide-drone-more-deadly-its-iranian-counterpart?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Eight overnight attacks targeted a US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad’s International Airport, an Iraqi security official said on Sunday. Several waves of departures from the US facility occurred on Saturday from the airport, according to another Iraqi security source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. “Eight separate attacks, carried out until dawn with rockets and drones, targeted the US centre,” the senior security official said, adding that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347492/us-hub-iraq-targeted-overnight-iranian-drones-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347492/us-hub-iraq-targeted-overnight-iranian-drones-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 12:25:24 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong authorities have received more than 100 applications for innovative drone usage to pioneer the city’s “low-altitude economy”, with some pilot projects set to launch as early as in three months, the transport minister has said. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also pledged to push more advanced transport technologies to transition from trials to everyday use in 2026. In a blog post on the Transport and Logistics Bureau’s website on Saturday, Chan said “the industry... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347425/flying-start-low-altitude-economy-goals-100-drone-projects-proposed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347425/flying-start-low-altitude-economy-goals-100-drone-projects-proposed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:32:48 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong Timing is everything in modern warfare, where even a nanosecond’s delay can make the difference between hitting or missing a target in a coordinated drone or missile attack. China may now have taken a major step forward in this field with the mass production of the world’s smallest atomic clock – something the researchers behind it say could transform drone warfare, underwater navigation and battlefield communication. Developed by a research team led by Professor Chen Jiehua from Wuhan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347000/why-tiny-atomic-clocks-may-hold-key-china-mass-producing-cheap-swarm-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347000/why-tiny-atomic-clocks-may-hold-key-china-mass-producing-cheap-swarm-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Beijing is unlikely to attack Taiwan next year, given security and economic deterrents, including its belief that an amphibious assault could fail and that the technological, supply chain and investor costs would be huge, according to a US threat assessment released on Wednesday. The intelligence overview appeared to walk back a projection by the Pentagon last year that Beijing wanted to take the self-governing island by force as early as 2027 and comes as US President Donald Trump takes a more... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347083/us-assesses-mainland-china-not-planning-attack-taiwan-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347083/us-assesses-mainland-china-not-planning-attack-taiwan-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 18:12:46 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia and Iran “brothers in hatred” on Tuesday as he sought support from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a time when the Iran conflict has robbed momentum from US-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During talks with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies not to forget about his country and suggested the US and others should make use of Ukraine’s anti-drone technology during a Middle East war that has also... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:43:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An explosion was heard in Baghdad early Wednesday, an Agence France-Presse journalist said, as Iraqi officials reported a drone and rocket attack targeting the US embassy. The latest explosion came hours after multiple blasts were heard across the Iraqi capital, where a witness said he saw detonations likely caused by air defences intercepting projectiles over the embassy. Diners at a restaurant in the city seemed undisturbed by the initial sounds of the blasts. Another witness saw a fire on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346936/fire-us-embassy-baghdad-security-official-reports-drone-and-rocket-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346936/fire-us-embassy-baghdad-security-official-reports-drone-and-rocket-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 18:59:00 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China leads the world in patent applications for anti-drone technology, which has drawn heightened attention during the wars in Ukraine and Iran and a spate of suspicious sightings in the West, according to intellectual property law firm Mathys & Squire. Patent applications for anti-drone systems rose 27 per cent over the past year, with China submitting 82 compared with 22 from the US, the second-largest filer, the 115-year-old UK-based law firm said on Monday. South Korea ranked third with six... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346874/china-leads-world-anti-drone-patents-us-and-south-korea-far-behind-law-firm-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346874/china-leads-world-anti-drone-patents-us-and-south-korea-far-behind-law-firm-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A drone and rocket attack targeted the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday, while a strike killed four people at a house reportedly hosting Iranian advisers, security officials said, pulling Iraq deeper into the Middle East war. Black smoke was seen rising after an explosion in the embassy complex, as well as air defences intercepting another drone. The strikes came hours after air defences thwarted a rocket attack at the embassy and a drone sparked a fire at a luxury hotel frequented by foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346809/drone-strikes-luxury-hotel-baghdads-green-zone-home-us-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346809/drone-strikes-luxury-hotel-baghdads-green-zone-home-us-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 23:36:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Missiles and drone attacks hit across the UAE on Monday, with a drone-related incident sparking a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport that disrupted travel, while a missile killed a civilian in Abu Dhabi. In the eastern emirate of Fujairah, a drone attack on oil infrastructure sparked a fire, just one day after smoke was seen rising from a major UAE energy installation in the emirate. The attacks came a day after Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview that rockets had been... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346748/dubai-flights-disrupted-after-drone-attack-near-airport-missile-kills-1-abu-dhabi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346748/dubai-flights-disrupted-after-drone-attack-near-airport-missile-kills-1-abu-dhabi?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:14:17 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg News of black rain falling on Tehran felt all too familiar to Nejat Rahmanian as he scrolled through alerts on social media feeds and tried to contact relatives on March 8. Israeli drone strikes hit giant oil depots and refineries on the outskirts of the Iranian capital a few hours earlier, setting fuel on fire and releasing columns of black smoke, which mixed with rain clouds that poured toxic chemicals onto the city later in the day. The descriptions reminded the Iranian researcher of a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346662/black-rain-iran-wars-toxic-pollution-will-spread-and-last-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346662/black-rain-iran-wars-toxic-pollution-will-spread-and-last-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:25:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations defend against Iranian kamikaze drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, after Kyiv ‌sent specialists to four countries in the region. Zelensky told reporters in comments cleared for release on Sunday that each of the three teams sent to the Middle East consisted of dozens of people who will conduct expert assessments and demonstrate how drone defences should operate. Gulf states have ⁠expended large quantities of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3346657/ukraine-wants-cash-technology-return-helping-middle-east-nations-fight-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3346657/ukraine-wants-cash-technology-return-helping-middle-east-nations-fight-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 09:22:19 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Aridge, the flying-car developer backed by Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, has raised nearly US$200 million in fresh funding as it prepares for a potential initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong this year. Existing investors including GL Ventures, the venture capital arm of Hillhouse Investment, and HongShan – formerly Sequoia China – participated in the latest round, according to a statement released on Friday. The fundraising brings Aridge’s total equity financing to about US$1... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346597/flying-car-dreams-gain-altitude-xpeng-affiliate-aridge-raises-us200-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346597/flying-car-dreams-gain-altitude-xpeng-affiliate-aridge-raises-us200-million?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 08:43:40 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China is using AI to help its radars better detect low-altitude drones, according to a top Chinese military scientist who said drone swarm tactics – as used in the US’ ongoing attack on Iran – were an emerging challenge for radar systems. Xu Jin, a leading air-defence radar expert and a member of China’s top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, revealed the AI initiative in an interview with the South China Morning Post on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346493/china-announces-ai-boost-radar-drone-swarms-confound-detectors-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346493/china-announces-ai-boost-radar-drone-swarms-confound-detectors-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:01:31 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press California Governor Gavin Newsom said there was no imminent threat to the state, despite a warning from the FBI that Iran could send drones to the west coast in retaliation for war. Newsom said drone issues “have always been top of mind”. “We’ve been aware of that information. … It’s all about a posture of preparedness for worst-case scenarios,” the governor said on Wednesday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently warned police departments about Iran and a possible California... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346422/californias-governor-newsom-says-no-imminent-threat-despite-warning-iran-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346422/californias-governor-newsom-says-no-imminent-threat-despite-warning-iran-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 23:29:49 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has lowered the operational cost of an anti-drone high-power microwave (HPM) system to just a few yuan per shot, making it a cost-effective option for policing applications, according to a state media report. The launch of an urban police anti-drone swarm microwave defence system marked a further reduction in cost and increased accessibility of HPM technology as it expanded into civilian applications, state broadcaster CCTV said on Saturday. Developed by state-owned 081 Electronics Group,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346106/how-cheaply-can-china-fend-drone-swarm-its-latest-microwave-weapon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346106/how-cheaply-can-china-fend-drone-swarm-its-latest-microwave-weapon?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Explosive drone strikes by Haitian security forces targeting gangs have killed over 1,200 people, including 43 adult civilians and 17 children, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Tuesday, adding that operations have ramped up in recent months. Since last March, Haitian security forces, with support from Vectus Global, have carried out ‌anti-gang operations using quadcopter drones strapped with explosives, often in densely populated parts of the capital Port-au-Prince. Vectus Global is a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3346052/explosive-drones-have-killed-hundreds-haiti-including-civilians-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3346052/explosive-drones-have-killed-hundreds-haiti-including-civilians-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:33:45 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press At least seven people were killed and 10 others, including three children, were wounded on Saturday by a Russian missile that hit a five-storey residential building in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, officials said. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack and called for an international response. He said that Russia struck Ukraine overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions, with damage reported in at least seven... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3345809/least-7-killed-ukraine-russian-missile-hits-kharkiv-apartment-building?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3345809/least-7-killed-ukraine-russian-missile-hits-kharkiv-apartment-building?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 09:19:54 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain What began as a US-Israeli assault on Iran is rapidly evolving into a conflict with the potential to spread far beyond the Middle East. Iranian missiles and drones have already struck or reached Turkey and Azerbaijan, while European powers are rushing additional warships, fighter jets and air defences to the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf to contain the fallout. Analysts warn the longer the war continues, the greater the risk that long-simmering regional fault lines – from Kurdish militancy to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukrainian military personnel are expected to arrive in the Gulf soon to help countries there fend off Iranian drone attacks, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that the United States had appealed for help from Kyiv downing Iranian drones that have been pummelling Israel and the Gulf over recent days. Those Iranian strikes across the region have come in response to US and Israeli attacks against Tehran that killed its supreme leader Ayatollah... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345630/us-asking-ukraine-help-against-irans-drones-middle-east-zelensky-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345630/us-asking-ukraine-help-against-irans-drones-middle-east-zelensky-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:47:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Azerbaijan warned on Thursday that it was preparing unspecified response measures after a pair of Iranian drones flew across its border and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave, raising concern about further spillover of the ‌conflict in the Middle East. “These attacks will not remain unanswered,” the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said in a statement. It added that it was investigating the types of drones used in the attack, and “preparing the necessary response measures to protect the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3345600/azerbaijan-vows-respond-after-iranian-drones-injure-4?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3345600/azerbaijan-vows-respond-after-iranian-drones-injure-4?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:46:57 +0000 Sameed Basha Sameed Basha Many American wars begin with the assumption that brute force will lead to a swift and decisive victory. While the US military is highly effective at conventional deterrence, it has consistently struggled to defeat adversaries employing asymmetric tactics. In conflicts such as Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen, Washington repeatedly underestimated its adversaries by assessing their strength based on their ability to fight conventionally. Iran represents the most dangerous iteration of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3345222/us-war-iran-isnt-likely-go-planned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3345222/us-war-iran-isnt-likely-go-planned?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The joint US-Israel attack on Iran and Tehran’s own retaliatory strikes on a handful of cities in the region have showcased advanced weapons from both sides, some deployed for the first time. Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles Footage released by the US military confirmed the use of the Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles. According to the US Navy, the missiles were launched by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers on February 28, in the strikes against Iran. The Tomahawk cruise missile is a long-range missile... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345173/what-weapons-were-used-us-and-iran-strikes-and-which-are-also-deployed-near-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345173/what-weapons-were-used-us-and-iran-strikes-and-which-are-also-deployed-near-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:49:11 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Yuanyue Dang Seong Hyeon Choi,Yuanyue Dang The US and Israel’s air strikes against Iran, supported by electronic and cyber capabilities, serve as a “wake-up call” for China’s intelligence strategy and its military’s approach to deploying advanced technologies in modern warfare, analysts say. In weekend air strikes against Iran that killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the US struck over 1,000 targets with an array of advanced weaponry, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, stealth fighters and bombers. And for the first time... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345123/iran-attack-seen-wake-call-chinas-electronic-warfare-and-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345123/iran-attack-seen-wake-call-chinas-electronic-warfare-and-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:42:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US military said on Saturday that it has been using single-use drones to attack Iran for the first time in combat, signalling adoption by the world’s wealthiest military of a technology already surging to prominence in the Ukraine-Russia war. “Task Force Scorpion Strike employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat,” US Central Command (Centcom) said in a statement posted on social media. Centcom said the drones, which are expendable but cheaper than traditional... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345000/us-says-it-used-drones-based-irans-own-shaheds-attack-american-made-retribution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345000/us-says-it-used-drones-based-irans-own-shaheds-attack-american-made-retribution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 21:20:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US military shot down a government drone with a laser-based anti-drone system, an accident that prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to bar flights on Thursday in an area around Fort Hancock, Texas, congressional aides told Reuters. Congressional aides told Reuters the Pentagon used the high-energy laser system to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone near the Mexican border, in an area ‌that often has incursions from Mexican drones used by drug cartels. The Pentagon,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344810/us-military-laser-shoots-down-government-drone-texas-incident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344810/us-military-laser-shoots-down-government-drone-texas-incident?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 03:36:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters Chinese ⁠drone maker DJI said on Tuesday that it had ⁠filed suit challenging the US Federal Communications Commission decision to bar imports of all of its new models and critical components. The ban also includes products from Autel, another China-based drone maker. DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, said in a statement ‌it had challenged the FCC decision in the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. “It carelessly restricts DJI’s business in the US and summarily denies US customers access... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344513/chinese-drone-maker-dji-sues-challenge-us-import-ban-new-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344513/chinese-drone-maker-dji-sues-challenge-us-import-ban-new-models?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:07:46 +0000 dpa dpa Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday described a pair of explosions in Lviv as a “cynical and brutal terrorist act” that was “organised by Russia”. Two explosions rocked the western Ukrainian city in the early hours, killing a 23-year-old policewoman and injuring 25 others. “This was a terrorist attack,” Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel, adding that police have detained a female Ukrainian national. Police said that the detained woman was a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344281/police-officer-killed-24-people-wounded-bomb-explosions-ukraines-lviv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344281/police-officer-killed-24-people-wounded-bomb-explosions-ukraines-lviv?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:00:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Mexican army killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho”, on Sunday, decapitating what had become Mexico’s most powerful drug cartel and thrusting swaths of the nation into chaos. The drug lord was the Mexican government’s biggest prize yet to show the Trump administration in its efforts to crack down on the cartels, and his death was met with a forceful reaction from the cartel, known by its Spanish initials CJNG. Cars burned out by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3344279/mexican-army-kills-leader-jalisco-new-generation-cartel-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3344279/mexican-army-kills-leader-jalisco-new-generation-cartel-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 18:43:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia fired scores of missiles and drones at targets across Ukraine on Sunday, crashing into energy and rail infrastructure and residential buildings, just two days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Journalists in Kyiv heard a series of blasts starting at around 4.00am, shortly after an air raid alert was issued, with the air force later widening the alert nationwide, citing the threat of missiles. “Moscow continues to invest in strikes more than in diplomacy,” Ukrainian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344258/russian-barrage-strikes-ukrainian-infrastructure-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344258/russian-barrage-strikes-ukrainian-infrastructure-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:08:46 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Five European nations have announced a new programme to produce low-cost air defence systems and autonomous drones using Ukrainian expertise hard-won over the past four years of war against Russia. Friday’s initiative of the E5 nations – France, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy – comes as one of many European efforts to bolster defence along their borders, like a “drone wall” with Russia and Ukraine to better detect, track and intercept drones violating Europe’s airspace. Both... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344210/5-european-nations-make-drones-tapping-ukraines-war-experience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344210/5-european-nations-make-drones-tapping-ukraines-war-experience?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:31:41 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei A Lunar New Year post from the Chinese coastguard on Wednesday provided a rare glimpse at how aerial drones have become essential to daily training and operations near a hotly contested South China Sea reef. The social media post was meant to show officers on the coastguard vessel Wanshan, or China Coast Guard 3301, guarding the disputed Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China, during the Lunar New Year holiday. But the details of their daily training revealed how aerial drones and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343934/chinese-coastguard-reveals-growing-reliance-drones-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343934/chinese-coastguard-reveals-growing-reliance-drones-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:15:51 +0000 Liu Zhen,Zhao Ziwen Liu Zhen,Zhao Ziwen America’s increasing use of MQ-9 drones near China poses a challenge to Beijing and makes it more urgent for the People’s Liberation Army to improve counter-reconnaissance, according to military experts. The MQ-9 Reaper can carry out both reconnaissance and strike missions. It has been used for numerous high-profile operations, including the 2020 assassination of Iranian major general Qassem Soleimani. And it has been deployed as part of the US military’s surveillance network in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343673/why-growing-network-american-mq-9-drones-challenge-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343673/why-growing-network-american-mq-9-drones-challenge-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 14:00:17 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Khushboo Razdan,Vincent Chow Xinmei Shen,Khushboo Razdan,Vincent Chow In a move that escalates tensions between Beijing and Washington just weeks ahead of US President Donald Trump’s anticipated trip to Beijing, the Pentagon added a wide range of Chinese companies to a list of firms with alleged links to the military before withdrawing the document. Giants like Alibaba Group Holding, Baidu and BYD are among the firms added to the list. Alibaba is the parent company of the South China Morning Post. The updated designation also names firms spanning the biotech, AI,... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3343540/pentagon-adds-chinese-firms-military-list-then-withdraws-filing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3343540/pentagon-adds-chinese-firms-military-list-then-withdraws-filing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:36:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russia launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities in overnight attacks, officials reported on Thursday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow was “hesitating” about another round of US-brokered talks on stopping the fighting. Washington has proposed further negotiations next week between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Miami or Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, which was the location of the last meeting, Zelensky said late on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343358/russia-launches-missile-drone-barrage-ukraine-peace-talks-stall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343358/russia-launches-missile-drone-barrage-ukraine-peace-talks-stall?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:29:18 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg For a few hours on Wednesday, the sleepy airport of El Paso, Texas, became a sudden flashpoint for confusion. Late Tuesday night, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a terse notice to pilots that airspace in the area would close - for an unprecedented 10 days - due to “special security reasons”. And then almost as suddenly, the FAA lifted the restrictions on Wednesday morning. Conflicting accounts of what prompted the action in the first place quickly emerged. Trump administration... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343253/us-military-laser-tech-and-cartel-drones-stir-airspace-confusion-texas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343253/us-military-laser-tech-and-cartel-drones-stir-airspace-confusion-texas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 02:31:12 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese electronics companies Insta360 and Vivo are preparing aggressive moves into the gimbal-stabilised camera market, setting up a direct challenge to DJI’s dominance, though analysts warn the newcomers may struggle to match the drone maker’s entrenched content ecosystem. Insta360, a key rival to GoPro, is planning a handheld gimbal camera aimed at DJI’s popular Pocket series, currently slated for release in the first half of the year, according to people familiar with the matter. Separately,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342930/insta360-vivo-challenge-djis-turf-eyeing-slice-gimbal-camera-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342930/insta360-vivo-challenge-djis-turf-eyeing-slice-gimbal-camera-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:00:11 +0000