The development and testing of the new type of UAV was carried out at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Ukrinform reported, citing the Hong Kong publication SCMP.

It is stated that outwardly such a device resembles a consumer-grade quadcopter produced by Chinese DJI, but after reaching the target airspace it can instantly split into two, three or even six small drones, depending on the task in combat.

A single soldier can carry multiple such modules and, if necessary, quickly assemble a drone with different functions and numbers of drones for a specific mission, researchers say.

Each minidrone has a single blade, can hover and move like a normal drone, and has its own functions such as control, reconnaissance, surveillance or attack. They can also “communicate” with each other by coordinating their movements to complete a task.

Scientists were inspired to create this mini-UAV form from maple seeds, whose unique wing-like structure and rotation around the seed allow it to soar due to wind and move very long distances.

Developers claim that their UAV is a breakthrough in the technology of effective separation of an aircraft in the air, which no other country in the world has achieved so far. They claim that their development will change the situation on the battlefield.

According to scientists, when a swarm of drones appears on the enemy’s radar screens, the air defense system allocates resources and means of combating drones depending on the number of drones.

However, if the drone swarm suddenly grows larger, the air defense system will lose direction and the ability to react quickly. It will also have a strong psychological impact on the enemy’s army, preventing them from effectively countering the attack.

Chinese researchers also said that by combining small drones into a single device, they were able to achieve a higher flight speed than if they flew alone.

Even after separation, flight efficiency remained more than 40% higher than conventional small unmanned aerial vehicles.

The publication notes that since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, China has redoubled its efforts in unmanned aerial vehicle research and production in its quest to develop technology and increase economic efficiency to be ready for future conflicts.

According to Ukrinform’s news, the Bayraktar TB3 PT-2 drone, which will be used for launching from short-runway ships, made its first flight in Turkey.