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Drones

Drones
The latest news, analysis and opinion on drones, especially Chinese drone makers and drone usage.
China’s shipments of strategic minerals to the United States rose in July, but fell sharply to Japan amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Photo: Shutterstock
China exports

China’s strategic mineral shipments rebound to US but slump for Japan

July customs data shows Beijing easing supplies of rare earth magnets to the US while export curbs deepen Japan’s material shortages.

US-China trade war

China urges US to drop sweeping drone tariffs, warns of supply chain fallout

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Science

China’s J-36 fighter jet designers report danger of military AI hallucinations

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Ukraine war

Moscow strikes Ukrainian steel plant as Kyiv targets Russian economy

Romania, which borders Ukraine, said an F-18 fighter on a Nato air policing mission had shot down a drone that breached its airspace during the latest attacks.

A grave sculpture at a cemetery as smoke rises in the background above a Wildberries facility, following a reported Ukrainian drone strike at the Koledino Industrial Park near Podolsk, Moscow Region, Russia, on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Taiwan

Taiwan drone defences fall short against PLA’s evolving tech, audit reveals

Taipei’s effort to build a modern counter-drone shield has suffered setbacks, including the collapse of an army procurement contract.

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US-China relations

Chinese drone maker DJI gets another shot at Pentagon blacklist removal

Latest ruling gives Shenzhen-based company hope after years-long legal battle with the US Department of Defence.

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China trade

US-China drone trade dealt another strike as Trump homes in on foreign dominance

Disrupted supply chains could complicate efforts of Chinese firms to expand globally in the fast-growing drone industry, while raising costs for American buyers.

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A DJI Phantom 3 drone flies during a demonstration at a farm and winery in the US state of Maryland in 2015. New restrictions on the drone trade could curb the number of Chinese drones entering the United States. Photo: AP
Nato

Nato jets shoot down foreign drone after it enters Latvian airspace

Latvia’s military said a foreign drone had entered its airspace as a result of Russia’s electronic warfare activity over the Balvi region.

China’s Communist Party

China halts drone shows across the country as airspace controls tighten

Drone flights in six provinces under the jurisdiction of the Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command reportedly suspended from Friday.

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Ukraine war

Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes, leaving 7 dead and dozens injured

Reciprocal strikes hit Belgorod and Kharkiv while drone incidents in Bulgaria and Moldova highlight war spillover.

A clothes shop in Belgorod, Russia damaged during a Ukrainian overnight drone attack. Photo: Reuters
Middle East

Yemen’s Houthis attack Saudi refinery, testing new defence pact

Rebel strikes hit Jazan oil complex and kill seven in Mocha as Saudi Arabia seals security alliance with Turkey and Pakistan.

A drone launching from an undisclosed location in Yemen. Photo: Houthi Military Media Centre via EPA
Ukraine war

Ukraine denies targeting Bulgaria, as drone explodes near pipeline

The blast caused no casualties, but Bulgarian PM Radev said the device was carrying a ‘significant’ amount of explosives.

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Ukraine war

Russian attacks kill 4 in Ukraine, including 3-year-old boy

The child and his grandparents were among the dead after the latest attacks. Kyiv says around 9,000 drones and missiles were fired in July.

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Germany

Bus driver kicked explosive drone out of the air at German airport

His act potentially prevented an attack at an airport that served as a major Nato hub.

Police officers walk across a field on the grounds of Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany on Friday. Photo: dpa
US-China trade war

China adds US sanctions, drone curbs in trade tit-for-tat

Beijing tightens curbs on unmanned aerial vehicle exports after US robotics import ban, sanctions firms for aiding measures targeting Xinjiang.

A Chinese-made drone takes to the skies over the US state of New Jersey. Photo: Reuters
Ukraine war

Why Russia’s ballistic missiles are breaking through in Ukraine

Interceptors are running low, warning times are seconds, and only one air-defence system can stop them.

Russia

Russian drone factory boss badly injured in car blast that killed driver

Targeted attack on Uraldronzavod chief outside Yekaterinburg follows series of strikes against defence figures.

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US-China trade war

China’s retaliation against US shows depth of its trade war strategy: analysts

Beijing’s latest export controls and sanctions against American companies show its ‘countermeasures framework and toolkit have come of age’.

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China has broadened its economic strategy, introducing a growing array of legal, regulatory, and trade measures to respond more forcefully to US sanctions. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

PLA scientists call submarine cables carrying 99% of global data ‘easy target’

Cables that support US$10 trillion in daily cross-border transactions could be increasingly vulnerable to attack from uncrewed vessels.

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Germany

Explosive drone found near Ukrainian plane at German airport

All flights to Leipzig-Halle airport were diverted for several hours, as police deployed a bomb-disposal robot to remove the detonator.

US-China relations

China hits back at US with barrage of sanctions, drone industry curbs

Beijing frames the measures as a ‘restrained’ response to the US’ recent sanctions and robot import ban, but warns of potential further actions.

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A US and Chinese flag wave outside a commercial building in Beijing. Photo: TNS
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong tests thermal drones to catch illegal smoking at construction sites

Labour Department says AI will be added later to help identify smoking workers.

Hong Kong labour authorities have begun testing an infrared thermal-imaging drone to detect heat sources and illegal smoking at construction sites. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Ukraine war

Russian strikes kill 17 in Kyiv region as Ukraine fails to stop missiles

Ukrainians down dozens of drones but zero missiles, prompting urgent calls for ballistic interceptors.

Ukraine war

Ukraine slams Russian ‘drone safari’ after vegetable seller chased down

The drone is seen pursuing the 52-year-old civilian before exploding as he dives for cover, leaving him with shrapnel wounds.

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Ukraine war

Russia says Ukrainian drone attack kills 7 at Black Sea resort beach

Moscow accuses Kyiv of targeting civilians near Gelendzhik after a blast ripped through a crowded shore.

An image from social media footage shows an explosion on a busy beach at the holiday village of Arkhipo-Osipovka, as tourists look on. Photo: Social media via Reuters
South China Sea

Are commercial sea drones new headache for PLA in South China Sea and Taiwan?

A crewless vessel’s footage of a Chinese warship operating near the Philippines highlights their potential intelligence-gathering role.

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Seasats, a California-based autonomous vessel maker, has released footage of a Chinese warship shot by one of its drones. Photo: Seasats
Ukraine war

Ukraine strikes kill 9 in Russia, another Wildberries warehouse hit

Kyiv, which denies targeting civilians, says its strikes are fair retaliation and are aimed at pressuring Putin into negotiations.

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South Korea

South Korea almost shoots down US Marine drone after communication failure

Incidents like this could ‘deepen mistrust’ between the allies, experts say, urging a comprehensive review to avoid it recurring.

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