China's Jet-Powered VTOL Drone Poised to Transform Naval Warfare

According to the latest reports, Chinese aerospace engineers have unveiled a groundbreaking new technology that could reshape the future of naval warfare. Over the past 10 years, professors Wang Yaokun and Qiu Yuting from Beihang University, a Chinese institute targeted by US sanctions, have developed what is believed to be the world's first high-speed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone powered by a jet engine.

Unlike traditional VTOL drones, which rely on rotors for both lift and propulsion, these new drones combine vertical lifting and jet engine power to achieve greater speed and agility. The 45kg drones, made of lightweight carbon fiber, can reach speeds of up to 142 mph with ease. Crucially, the drones' rotors gradually spin down and become enclosed once they reach high speeds, reducing air drag by an impressive 60%.

Chinese media have touted this breakthrough as potentially "transforming every Chinese destroyer, frigate or amphibious vessel into a mini aircraft carrier". The project was initiated in 2015 after the Chinese navy requested "non-carrier vessels" with capabilities for "multi-drone coordination, high-speed reconnaissance and vertical take-off and landing from destroyer decks".

This new technology could significantly boost China's naval capabilities, allowing the country to operate high-speed, long-range reconnaissance and strike drones from any of its warships. As one unnamed defense expert noted, "This turns every major surface combatant into a forward-operating base. The enemy can't predict where the next strike will come from."