China unveils Xinge drone with flapping wings, hard to distinguish from a real bird
Chinese researchers from Northwest Polytechnic University have developed a bird drone with flapping wings. It stayed in flight for more than three hours, which was a record.
Such drones, also known as “bionic drones” or ornithopters, are based on mechanics that replicate the complex flight mechanism of real birds, becoming part of a global technology project by various other developers. The drone, called Xinge, broke the record for the flight time of its predecessor by almost an hour and a half, which scientists called a “technological leap.” Xinge can fly for up to three hours, five minutes and 30 seconds continuously on a single charge, breaking the previous Guinness World Record set by the same team (previous result: 2 hours 34 minutes 38 seconds).
The Xinge ornithopter has a wingspan of 70 centimeters and weighs 260 grams. Compared to its predecessor, the Yunxiao ornithopter, this drone is smaller in size. It can be easily launched from the hand.
Experts note that such ornithopters are important for ornithologists or any other specialists who study nature and ecological processes, because such a drone does not frighten birds. Some large models can even drive flocks of birds away from airfields.
But of course, the military is also interested in bird trackers. High in the sky, such a drone is indistinguishable from a bird and can be used to reconnoiter enemy positions at the front. It is lightweight, small in size and low-noise, and thanks to composite materials, it is hardly noticeable to electronic warfare.
The publication claims that so far the military has not been interested in this drone, but as soon as it turns from a working prototype into a fully operational model, the Chinese army may show interest in it. The fact is that Northwestern Polytechnic University is closely linked to the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) and China’s defense state-owned enterprises. It is part of the Seven Sons of National Defense, a group of universities and higher technical institutions supported under a ten-year program aimed at making China self-sufficient in defense production.
