Overview

• The insect-inspired drone measures roughly 1.3 to 2 centimeters long, weighs about 0.3 grams and mimics mosquito form with bionic wings and hair-thin legs.
• It can be piloted via smartphone, flies silently into tight indoor spaces and uses stealth design to evade radar detection.
• Researchers say it is suited for information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield, including indoor surveillance and intelligence gathering.
• Size constraints restrict its battery life and sensor payload, requiring frequent recharges and close proximity between operator and target.
• China’s military has not confirmed operational deployment, and the project joins similar efforts like Norway’s Black Hornet and Harvard’s RoboBee in the global microrobotics race.