forces at work - Chinese army shows military drones that look like birds
Unmanned military aircraft are of great value to modern warfare and are almost inseparable from any conflict. They are being used in Ukraine, the Houthis are using them for attacks on ships in the Red Sea, and every army is researching new, more useful systems. However, drones are easily recognizable, especially small multicopters that have been hastily modified for frontline use.
This could change in the future. As videos from Chinese military forces, possibly a special operations unit of the People's Republic, show, there are apparently the first drones that look like birds. In two different video clips, posted on a profile specializing in Chinese military technology on X, formerly Twitter, the two models can be seen.
In one video, a diver is seen launching an unknown drone from the water. The aircraft uses no rotor, but flaps its wings like a bird. The technical term for bird-like drones is "ornithopter." This term is used when wings, rather than rotors, provide lift and thrust.
From a distance, it already looks deceptively real. In the second video, a similar drone can be seen, but a significantly larger model. While the first "bird" could represent a sparrow or a pigeon, the dimensions of the other model are more reminiscent of an eagle or a buzzard.
China leaves open what the drones will be used for
What is not seen in the videos, which resemble propaganda material, is any potential weaponization of the drones - as there is no explosion to be seen. The specialist magazine "The War Zone" assumes that such birds could be used mainly for reconnaissance missions. Since the models look very real from a distance, aerial photography would be less noticeable than with conventional copters.
The report does not rule out that the "birds" have enough space to carry explosives. For targeted attacks, they would offer a tactical advantage, as the aircraft could be mistaken for harmless animals until impact.
The idea of animal-like attack flyers is not new. As early as the 1960s, the CIA's "Aquiline" project aimed to build unmanned drones in the shape of birds. Although they never saw action, they are considered precursors to today's drones.
Research into weapons with animal-like characteristics is not limited to birds. In May, the United States Marine Corps presented the idea of a remote-controlled ringed snake - a ground drone resembling an animal. In a conversation with "The War Zone," Lieutenant Colonel Keenan Chirhart said, "If you had told me ten years ago that we would be dealing with a robotic snake for warfare, I wouldn't have believed you."
Twitter is a platform where the two bird-like drones were shared in video clips. These drones, referred to as ornithopters, are potential tools for reconnaissance missions due to their ability to blend in and provide less noticeable aerial photography compared to conventional copters.
