China successfully tests rifle-wielding UAV

The drone demonstrated unprecedented accuracy using the army’s standard issue weapon, according to the Journal of Gun Launch and Control

One of China’s leading tech companies, Wuhan Guide Infrared, has successfully tested a novel rifle-wielding unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), reporting unprecedented accuracy.

In recent years, Chinese companies have been at the forefront of drone development, with many civilian models widely represented on the global market.

According to the December issue of the Journal of Gun Launch and Control, the UAV was created in collaboration with the Chinese military’s Army Special Operations Academy. During the trial, it fired 20 single shots from the standard issue rifle at a human-sized target 100 meters (328 feet) away – all while hovering ten meters off the ground.

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The UAV is said to have achieved a 100% hit rate, with ten bullets landing within an 11-centimeter radius.

In marked contrast to similar models, the new drone does not require a custom-built or modified firearm but rather carries the regular assault rifle that is in use with the Chinese military, the publication said. Such impressive performance is reportedly attributable to improved stabilization and targeting algorithms as well as the new mounting system. Moreover, Chinese engineers developed special software that adjusts the firing angle based on distance, wind estimates, and other parameters – all honed by computer simulation – according to the journal.

On the downside, the system is currently only capable of firing single shots.

In a separate development last month, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) announced the maiden flight of its heavyweight jet-powered Jiutian (High Sky) drone, which can carry and release up to 100 smaller AI-guided kamikaze UAVs. Additionally, the drone ‘mother ship’, which is said to boast a maximum payload capacity of nearly six tonnes, has been previously demonstrated fitted with various air-to-surface and air-to-air munitions.

According to the manufacturer, Jiutian can fly at altitudes of up to 15,000 meters (49,212.5 feet) and operate for 12 hours at a time.

Meanwhile, the US military is playing ‘catch up’ in terms of modern drone technologies, CNN reported last September, citing an army general.