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China is unveiling one of its tiniest military drones yet
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a mosquito-sized aircraft apparently designed for battlefield surveillance. Researchers at China's National University of Defense Technology
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showed off the microdrone during a state television broadcast. The tiny unmanned aircraft fits between two fingers
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it flies using a pair of flapping leaf-shaped wings, and can perch using three hair-thin landing legs
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The claim is the drone's compact size allows it to stay hidden
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while gathering intelligence in urban or sensitive environments. The drone packs power systems, sensors, and control circuits into its tiny frame
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pushing the limits of micro-robotic engineering. China's new micro-drone joins a growing global race to field micro-UAVs
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Norway's Black Hornet, widely used by Western militaries, offers a palm-sized platform
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The latest Black Hornet 4 features enhanced battery life, improved wind resistance, and a longer range
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earning a U.S. Defense Department Blue UAS Refresh Award this year. The U.S. Air Force is also working on micro-UAVs, though no operational versions have been publicly fielded so far
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Beyond the battlefield, scientists see potential for minute drones in fields like medicine
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disaster response, and environmental monitoring. Harvard's RoboBee project, for example, developed insect-sized drones that can fly
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land, and even transition between water and air. But on the battlefield, these ultra-small drones could become a new tool for silent surveillance
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giving militaries eyes where traditional systems can't reach. For more of our unbiased, straight fact reporting like this, download the Straight Arrow News app today
