Overview

• China’s National University of Defense Technology revealed a drone just 2 cm long and under 0.2 grams that mimics mosquito flight for covert battlefield reconnaissance.
• The microdrone’s bionic wings, hair-thin legs and smartphone control enable near-silent operation, tight-space navigation and potential radar evasion.
• Experts warn these insect-scale UAVs could slip into indoor areas for spying, eavesdropping or personal data theft despite limited battery life and payload capacity.
• Beijing’s showcase comes as the US, Norway and academic labs advance their own microdrone programs and China readies a larger ‘mothership’ to deploy kamikaze drone swarms.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s National Security Strategy flags insect-scale drones as a new threat vector and commits the UK to enhance detection and defense capabilities.