What is China’s mosquito drone? Able to capture images, audio and electronic signals – details
New Delhi: China demonstrated a short, insect-like drone designed for secret monitoring missions, which is a global attention and concern on its potential military and detective uses. Developed by the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), the drone is just 1.3 cm long and weighs less than 0.3 grams. It was unveiled on the Chinese Military Broadcaster CCTV -7 as part of an exhibition on the next generation robotic system.In a demonstration aired over the weekend, nude student researcher Liang Hexiang organized an ultra-light robot and said, “Here I have a mosquito-like robot in my hand. Such short bionic robots are particularly suited to information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield.”The drone, resembling a real mosquito, is equipped with two leaf -shaped wings, a thin black body and three fine wire. It can allegedly operate silently and without radar detection, carrying images, sounds and electronic signals to carry ultra-monitor cameras and microphones. Its small size makes it ideal for indoor monitoring even within a safe government or military facilities.
Representative AI image
According to the Defense Post, the compact build of the device enables it to avoid traditional detection systems and operate in limited locations – a feature that has raised an alarm between privacy advocates and military analysts. Experts have warned that such drones can be exploited for espionage, cyber infiltration or even biological war.“This may have more access to restricted areas such as safe government facilities,” said a research Fellow Sam Bressic, a research from the Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University. “If China is able to produce mosquito -shaped drones, it will probably be interested in using various intelligence, monitoring and reconnaissance functions, especially in places that struggle to access large drones, such as indoor regions. These drones can be used to track individuals or listen to conversations. ,Other experts are increasing more diastopian concerns. Tracies follow, a futurist and former Google Advisor, told The Sun that such drones can be used for “unattainable murders” or can be carried to pathogens, referring to a black mirror episode that was armed for robot pests for targeted murders. “Over time, someone hopes that a drone would be an autonomally awareness to fulfill an attack without a human in the loop,” he said. “The big question is what is the payload on these drones, what are you really attached to the drone?”Mosquito-shaped UAV is part of a comprehensive nude program that discovers micro-robotics, including parallel development including artillary-launched drones that can avoid the extreme conditions of being removed from 155 mm cannon shells. These innovations reflect China’s ambition to lead in micro-UAV technology, which is a region given the growing global competition.Other countries have progressed in the region. Norway’s Black Hornet, which is developed by Teller Fleer Defense, is already used by terrorists worldwide. The latest version, The Black Hornet 4, won the 2025 Blue UAS Refresh Award from the US Defense Department for progress in battery life, signal range and wind resistance. Meanwhile, Harvard University’s Robobi Project has demonstrated insect-shaped drones that can cause water infections and even leaflets on surfaces using static electricity.Beyond military applications, microdrones are being detected for civil use in medicine, agriculture and disaster response. In healthcare, they can enable accurate drug delivery or internal imaging. In environmental surveillance, their small size allows access to dangerous areas during flood, fire or chemical spread.Nevertheless, with their stealth abilities and increasing autonomy, these small machines are ready to become one of the most moral and strategic complex technologies of the decade.
