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Drones

Drones
The latest news, analysis and opinion on drones, especially Chinese drone makers and drone usage.
A military analyst interviewed by state broadcaster CCTV indicates that China’s J-20 stealth fighters are set for avionics upgrades on its radar, engines and AI integration. Photo: CCTV
China's military weapons

China set to supercharge radar, engine and AI in fifth-gen J-20 stealth fighter

Analyst tells state media Mighty Dragon’s airborne weapons are expected to have a longer range and stronger anti-interference capabilities.

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North Korea

North Korea revives drone claims in rebuff to Seoul’s outreach

US-China relations

US government abandons plan to blacklist Chinese-made drones

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Artificial intelligence

Chinese robot vacuum maker Dreame sees AI-driven appliances run household chores

The firm’s ambition is to become a ‘world-class technology company’, global president Chang Xinwei says.

People at the CES trade show watch Dreame’s prototype Cyber X robot vacuum cleaner, the first such product designed to climb up and down an entire flight of stairs and handle multilevel cleaning. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong economy

The Drone Age: hi-tech wizardry propels Hong Kong towards lift-off

As Hong Kong prepares to enter the era of flying taxis, key players roll out groundbreaking innovations at the cutting edge of technology.

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Hong Kong economy

Thousands of passenger, cargo drones will fill Hong Kong skies in decade: expert

Mainland Chinese eVTOL leader AutoFlight will spread wings in Hong Kong amid global push into flying taxi market.

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China’s military drills

PLA drills target swarms of suicide drones – Taiwan’s front line of defence

CCTV footage shows naval unit conducting anti-drone and uncrewed target exercises as mainland China’s military launches 2026 training cycle.

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The People’s Liberation Army has been monitoring the use of counter-drone technology on the battlefield and testing its capabilities through regular exercises. Photo: CCTV
Ukraine war

Trump says Ukraine did not target Putin residence, disputing Russia’s claim

US president says no evidence Novgorod estate was targeted, even as Russia reports an uptick in drone interceptions in the Moscow region.

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Africa

War in Sudan: drone strikes cut power supply in oil-rich south

Over the past week, some 15,000 people have been displaced from the region, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration.

Ukraine war

Zelensky proposes appointing First Deputy PM Fedorov as Ukraine defence minister

In big government shake-up, Zelensky also said he is appointing spy chief Kyrylo Budanov as head of the presidential office.

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister. Photo; Reuters
Taiwan

Just how close did a PLA drone come to the heart of Taipei during drill?

Footage shared by a mainland military social media account shows Taipei 101 but it’s not clear when it was taken.

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A PLA social media account posted imagery showing Taipei 101, purportedly taken from a PLA military drone during military exercises around Taiwan this week. Photo: Handout
Ukraine war

Russia claims Ukrainian drone strike kills 24 in occupied Kherson

Moscow accuses Kyiv of New Year’s Eve attack on civilians as diplomats scramble to save fragile peace talks.

Ukraine war

CIA concludes Ukraine did not target Putin’s residence in drone strike

CIA findings contradict Moscow’s allegations. Kyiv calls the claim a pretext to escalate war and stall peace talks.

China's military weapons

Is China’s truck-mounted catapult system enabling merchant aircraft carriers?

Scalable truck-based launch track pictured on modified cargo ship raises questions about drone war potential.

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Three trucks linked to form what appears to be a launch track for large drones have been spotted at a dock in China. Photo: Handout
Ukraine war

US Nato envoy casts doubt on Russian claim Ukraine attacked Putin residence

Matthew Whitaker says it’s ‘unclear’ alleged attack on Putin residence happened, as Moscow vows retaliation for ‘terrorist act’.

Satellite imagery shows Vladimir Putin’s residential complex in Roshchino, Novgorod Region, Russia. Photo: Planet Labs PBC via Reuters
US-China relations

‘No worries’: Trump plays down Beijing’s military drills around Taiwan

Trump dismisses ‘routine’ drills in Taiwan Strait even as US arms sales hit record high and Pentagon repeats 2027 timeline.

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Ukraine war

Russia says Ukraine tried to attack Putin residence, but Zelensky denies it

Ukraine denies accusation as a fabrication after Trump said he was ‘angry’ when Putin told him about the alleged attack.

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Robotics

Chinese robot vacuum maker Dreame gives staff gifts of gold, trip to Antarctica

Dreame’s surprise largesse reflects its robust business growth in 2025, as it remains one of the world’s top robot vacuum cleaner brands.

A Dreame 10s Ultra robot vacuum cleaner. Photo: Dreame
Ukraine war

Ukraine peace requires ‘a willing Russia’, says Canada’s PM Carney

Carney denounced the ‘barbarism’ of Moscow’s latest attack on Kyiv as Zelensky stopped in Nova Scotia before flying to Florida to meet Trump.

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Ukraine war

Zelensky says Kyiv strike proves Russia does ‘not want to end war’

Moscow hit the Ukrainian capital with nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles a day ahead of US-Ukraine talks, leaving a third of Kyiv without heat.

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Ukraine war

Inside Chernobyl: Ukraine races to repair radiation shield as war drags on

While engineers scramble to patch drone damage at Chernobyl, Ukraine’s president holds ‘substantive’ talks with US envoys.

The damaged cover after a drone attack in February. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

‘Bad policy’: China’s drone makers to shrug off US ban, analysts say

The addition of foreign drone makers, including those from China, to a US trade blacklist is unlikely to heat up relations, observers said.

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Dai Shuying operates a plant protection drone under the guidance of her grandson Wang Tiantian in east China’s Anhui province. Photo: Xinhua
China's military weapons

‘Saturation attacks’: drone swarms key for wartime victory, PLA Daily says

Concentrated UAV swarms seen to allow ‘optimal combat effectiveness with minimal battlefield expenditure’.

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Ukraine war

Huge drone barrage ‘strikes Ukraine before Christmas’, killing 3

The latest attack, targeting homes and the power grid, came when people want to be ‘at home, in safety’, said President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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US-China trade war

US adds new models of China’s DJI and all other foreign drones to its blacklist

The FCC move, which does not affect existing DJI models, is a significant escalation in Washington’s battle to crack down on Chinese drones.

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A drone on display at DJI’s flagship shop in Hong Kong. The Trump administration has barred the approval of Shenzhen-based DJI’s new models. Photo: Reuters
Africa

Sudan war drags on as drone attack kills 10 in Darfur market

The conflict has split Sudan in two as the army controls the north, east and centre while the UAE-backed RSF dominates Darfur and parts of the south.

A Sudanese refugee girl from Darfur rests beside a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) tent inside the Touloum refugee camp, on the outskirts of the town of Iriba in Wadi Fira province, eastern Chad, on November 30. Photo: Reuters
Low-altitude economy

China’s ‘black flying’ drone dilemma: when tech clashes with aviation safety

Videos posted online have shown drones climbing above 8,000 metres, dangerously close to passenger aircraft.

Japan

Bear aware: Japanese drone school develops AI system to track animals

The new system being developed in Akita prefecture can detect bears and share their locations via smartphones.

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