1 soldier, 200 drones: China showcases rapid launch and agility in swarm warfare tactics

The People’s Liberation Army has released fresh details of its tests of AI-enabled drone swarm warfare, saying a single soldier can control a swarm of more than 200 drones.In a defence news programme aired on Tuesday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV released details of a drone swarm test conducted by the PLA-affiliated National University of Defence Technology.Drone swarm warfare relies on artificial intelligence and data links to launch hundreds of drones in a short time. These drones could fly in precise formations and divide tasks via autonomous algorithms, allowing them to simultaneously conduct multi-target reconnaissance and strike operations, the report said.CCTV reported that through extensive offline training using both simulators and actual flights, the drone swarm developed strong autonomous intelligence.The footage showed researchers monitoring the live status of multiple drones from a screen, with each described as being able to switch between reconnaissance, distraction and striking tasks.The drones can divide tasks between themselves, according to the CCTV report. Photo: CCTVXiang Xiaojia, a research fellow in the school of intelligent science at the National University of Defence Technology, told CCTV that “each drone is equipped with an intelligent algorithm. Through interconnection and autonomous negotiation, they can form a powerful, collaborative intelligent swarm.”