China has shown off an advanced set of new military drones disguised as birds.
Footage from a shooting competition celebrating the creation of the PRC’s armed forces revealed the new unmanned biomimetic aerial vehicle.
The video was broadcast by Chinese military-affiliated media as they attended a shooting event organised by the Chinese Army’s Infantry Academy for Special Operation Forces.
Participating officers put together a display of “special shooting events” to show off their skills with a large array of firearms.
Among the contestants were members of the Chinese Marine Corps’ Jiaolong Commandos, a unit similar to the US Navy Seals, which are alleged to have extensive air, land, sea and underwater capabilities.
A clip from the event shows an officer with the Jialong Commandos releasing the bird-like drone from his hand as he resurfaced from the water.
The drone was made to look like an Eurasian tree sparrow and equipped with flapping wings to perfectly mimic a real bird.
Military observers noted the new drone could be classified as a miniature biomimetic ornithopter – a UAV specifically designed to operate using wings similar to those of birds and insects.
The drone, because of its realistic design, has extensive military potential as it can be easily concealed.
However, current models often have a very limited range and poor endurance, limiting their operativeness to short-range reconnaissance and surveillance.
The small drone has attracted the attention of the Ukrainian army, which has been waging an intense UAV war on Russia as part of its defensive operations.
According to the Ukrainian national The Kyiv Post, the bird-like drone would be difficult to identify as a threat.