The Chinese military has announced a significant advancement in drone warfare, showcasing the ability for a single soldier to control over 200 drones using artificial intelligence. This breakthrough underscores the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) increasing emphasis on AI-driven swarm combat capabilities.
In a defence news programme aired on Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported that the PLA had successfully tested AI-enabled drone swarm technology developed by the PLA-affiliated National University of Defence Technology. According to news agency PTI, the tests demonstrated that one operator could launch and manage over 200 fixed-wing drones simultaneously from multiple vehicles.
Drone swarm warfare leverages artificial intelligence and data links to deploy large numbers of drones in a short period. These drones can fly in coordinated formations, autonomously divide tasks, and execute multiple missions concurrently, including reconnaissance, distraction, and strike operations.
CCTV reported that the drone swarms were trained through extensive offline simulations and real flight tests, enabling them to develop robust autonomous decision-making abilities. Footage from the trials showed researchers monitoring the live status of dozens of drones on a single screen as they switched roles during operations.
Xiang Xiaojia, a research fellow at the university’s school of intelligent science, told CCTV that each drone is equipped with its own intelligent algorithm. “Through interconnection and autonomous negotiation, they can form a powerful, collaborative intelligent swarm,” he said.
Xiang added that the team had also tested an anti-jamming algorithm in environments with electromagnetic interference. The system allows drones to autonomously plan flight paths and continue coordinated search operations even when signals are disrupted.
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, citing the CCTV report, noted that the new control module enables precise coordination within the swarm. Different drones are assigned specific roles, such as surveillance, electronic jamming, decoy missions, and direct attacks.
This development highlights the PLA’s commitment to integrating advanced AI technologies into its military operations, potentially reshaping the future of drone warfare. As nations around the world invest in similar technologies, the race to dominate the skies with autonomous, intelligent systems is intensifying. The implications for global defence strategies and military engagements are profound, with AI-driven swarm capabilities poised to become a cornerstone of modern warfare.