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Drones

Drones
The latest news, analysis and opinion on drones, especially Chinese drone makers and drone usage.
last updated:
21 November, 2024
Rescuers transport a wounded passenger from a medical plane at Zhukovsky airport outside Moscow, after the Azerbaijani Airline crashed. Photo: via AP
Kazakhstan

Azerbaijan believes missile downed plane, Russia warns against ‘hypotheses’

38 people died in Wednesday’s crash in Kazakhstan. Azerbaijani source said Baku expects Russia ‘to confess’ to shooting down the plane.

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Aviation accidents

Azerbaijani plane crashes in Kazakhstan, killing 38 and injuring 29

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United States

Saturday Night Live takes on New Jersey’s ‘mystery drones’ in Bowen Yang skit

United States

US bans drone flights over parts of New Jersey, New York after mystery sightings

A frenzy of concern about drones is prompting people to point lasers at planes flying overhead, which is illegal and can be dangerous.

A drone operator retrieves a drone after photographing over Hart Island in New York in April 2018. Photo: AP
US-China relations

US lawmaker says China or its citizens could be tied to recent drone sightings

Pentagon and Homeland Security’s claim that no evidence of foreign entity or criminal activity ‘means they don’t know what it is’, he adds.

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United States

Trump, White House spar over mystery US drone sightings

US President-elect Donald Trump says the US military is keeping the public in ‘suspense’ on drones.

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United States

US should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says

US government plays down drone sightings as a non-threat as video footage of mysterious airborne phenomena clogs social media.

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Points of light in the evening sky in Lebanon Township, New Jersey on December 5. Photo: Trisha Bushey via AP
Science

Chinese laser scientist ‘Crazy Li’ arms small drones with metal-cutting beam

Researchers have developed a new device which will enable small drones to shoot powerful lasers – something once thought impossible.

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United States

Recent ‘drone’ sightings are manned aircraft and not a threat: US officials

No evidence to date of any foreign-based involvement in incidents over New Jersey and other states.

Low-altitude economy

Opinion | Hong Kong should look before it leaps into low-altitude economy

We must not start spending taxpayers’ money until we know what we truly need from the low-altitude economy and the goals we intend to achieve.

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A drone delivering seafood takes off from a pier in Shenzhen on February 5. Photo: Xinhua
Ukraine war

Russia targets Ukraine with massive attack of cruise missiles and drones

Ukraine’s energy system has suffered numerus Russian attack waves this year.

People take shelter inside a Kyiv metro station during a Russian strike on Friday. Photo: Reuters
China-EU relations

EU-China agenda stalls under Trump’s long shadow

Holding pattern could break next week as EU decides if China crossed red line in arming Russia, a move that would force Beijing to respond.

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United States

Mystery drones in New Jersey should be ‘shot down, if necessary’: US senator

Unexplained drone sightings above New Jersey have left locals rattled and sent US officials scrambling for answers.

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United States

Pentagon says no Iranian ‘mothership’ off US after mysterious drone sightings

Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights over New Jersey have raised growing concern among residents and officials.

In this image taken from video, what appears to be drones flying over Randolph, New Jersey on December 4, 2024. Photo: MartyA45_ /TMX via AP
US-China relations

Chinese citizen arrested for flying drone over US Space Force base

Yinpiao Zhou is alleged to have recorded images of the Vandenberg military facility, where missions, including those by SpaceX, are launched.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands on a launch pad at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc, California, in December 2022. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

OpenAI, defence tech firm Anduril team up to build AI for anti-drone systems

The partnership comes at a pivotal period in the accelerating race between the US and China to dominate AI for military purposes.

US-China relations

Mainland China sanctions 13 US companies over weapons sales to Taiwan

The sanctions list includes drone and artificial intelligence companies.

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China's military weapons

How China, US are using different drone strategies in race for air superiority

World’s top two military powers remain focused on traditional warplanes, but China’s ‘innovative use’ of UAVs could be the difference, analysts say.

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Chinese UAVs on display at the Zhuhai air show in November. China is making drones a key element in asymmetric warfare. Photo: EPA-EFE
SCMP Highlights

Recap | A gallery of China’s military might unveiled at Zhuhai air show, including the new J-35A

China’s latest military aircraft, including the J-20 stealth fighter, the J-35A and more, took the stage at the 2024 Zhuhai air show.

Science

J-20S vs F-22: how drones flip the battle of mighty stealth fighters

A simulated battle between Chinese and American stealth fighter jets has shown which would be the victor – and why.

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China’s military drills

China and Pakistan talk security as they target terrorism against belt and road

Top Chinese military official meets Pakistani counterpart in wake of attacks against Chinese interests in the South Asian country.

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Zhang Youxia (left), vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, meets his Pakistani counterpart Syed Asim Munir during a visit to Pakistan this week. Photo: Handout
Accidents and personal safety

Letters | Drones and robots must be widely used to reduce worksite deaths

Readers discuss using drones to improve construction safety, how developers are turning to property technology and a more targeted approach to reducing escalator accidents in MTR stations.

Construction workers remove the bamboo scaffolding of a building in Hong Kong’s Mong Kok district on October 16. As far as possible, drones and robots must be deployed to replace humans in risky operations. Elson Li
United States

Elon Musk calls fighter jets ‘obsolete’, drones the future of air combat

Trump ally Musk shared a video of Chinese drones on X, and said F-35’s makers are ‘idiots’ for still building manned jets.

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Accidents and personal safety

Hong Kong may use drones to enforce worksite safety from next year

Labour authorities ‘looking into’ drone fleet for inspecting worksites, after 11 industrial accident deaths in first half of the year.

China's military weapons

‘Recoilless AK-47’ that can be used by most drones built by Chinese scientists

‘Multiple tests have confirmed effectiveness’ of automatic rifle with almost no recoil specifically designed for unmanned warfare.

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Even specialised unmanned weapon platforms or heavily modified drones struggle with the recoil of machine guns, compromising shooting accuracy and versatility. Newly developed rifle offers a solution to these challenges. Photo: Shutterstock
Israel-Gaza war

Powerful Israeli air strike in Lebanon’s Beirut kills at least 20

An eight-storey building was struck with four missiles, including bunker-penetrating types designed to hit underground targets.

An excavator removes a destroyed car as rescue workers gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that hit central Beirut, Lebanon, on Saturday. Photo: AP
China’s air force

PLA Air Force to hold public competition in bid to source ‘low-cost’ drones

Open contest featuring search, strike and reconnaissance categories aims to foster innovation and could lead winners to procurement deals.

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Ukraine war

Russia’s Putin hints at strikes on West in ‘global’ Ukraine war

Nato and Ukraine are to hold emergency talks after Russia used an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the conflict.

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