Tiny, silent, and built for spying
At first glance, the drone looks like a harmless insect, with a black stick-like body, delicate yellow wings shaped like leaves, and three wiry legs. However, behind its small frame lies highly sophisticated military engineering designed for intelligence gathering and covert battlefield operations.
In a demonstration on state TV, NUDT student Liang Hexiang held up the robot and said, “Here in my hand is a mosquito-like type of robot. Miniature bionic robots like this one are especially suited to information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield.”
Built to fly under the radar
The device is designed for stealth. It is small enough to blend into natural environments and hard to detect by traditional security systems. Chinese scientists have packed communication gear, sensors, power units, and control electronics into its insect-sized body. The drone’s four-winged version can be controlled by a smartphone and is part of NUDT’s wider work in bio-inspired robotics, including human-like machines and insect-scale flyers.
Experts warn of hacking, spying, and biowarfare risks
Security researchers have raised red flags. Timothy Heath, a defence expert, said such drones could be used by criminals to steal passwords or sensitive data. Tracey Follows, a futurist who previously worked with Google, warned that future versions could “carry deadly viruses or other harmful materials,” and might operate autonomously — without human control — making them even harder to regulate.
Similar to Black Mirror’s killer robots?
The drone’s design has drawn eerie comparisons to the Black Mirror episode Hated in the Nation, where robotic bees are weaponised to assassinate people. Social media users say the technology may look like a toy, but could turn into one of the most dangerous surveillance tools ever created.
China’s expanding drone arsenal
The mosquito drone is not the only innovation on display. Chinese engineers have also developed artillery-launched UAVs that can survive the extreme pressure of being fired from 155mm cannon shells — withstanding forces up to 3,000 times their body weight.
Global race in microdrones
China is not alone. Norway’s Black Hornet — a palm-sized helicopter-style micro-UAV — is already in use by multiple armed forces. Harvard University’s RoboBee can switch from water to air and perch on surfaces. The US Air Force has also confirmed ongoing work on small drones, though it has shared few details.
More than just military use
While these machines are designed for warzones, experts say their applications could extend to medicine, agriculture, and disaster relief. Researchers are exploring their use in precision surgery, crop monitoring, pollution detection, and entering hazardous sites unreachable by humans.
What’s next?
From spying and hacking to potential biological attacks, the rise of insect-sized drones is no longer science fiction. The line between biology and robotics is quickly blurring — and with it, the rules of modern warfare and surveillance.
