Chinese drone manufacturers are preparing to release cheap drone interceptors for export. They will become the next top product of the country, which will bring great profits, writes the British Financial Times.
Their calculation is due to growing concerns about the deadly effects of kamikaze drones used in the wars in Ukraine and Iran. This year at the largest in At the drone exhibition at the Shenzhen Technology Center, dozens of companies presented new interceptors, most of which are 3D—printed small missiles with four wings and equipped with electric motors. Cameras and guidance modules are installed in their bow.
This technology appeared just a few months ago. However, advances in artificial intelligence over the past year have made such interceptors, developing speeds above 300 km/h, more accurate.
Sellers asked for 10,000-20,000 yuan ($ 1500-2900) for a rocket, and interceptors without automatic guidance modules were sold much cheaper.
This example shows how quickly Chinese manufacturers are adapting to the latest defense technologies, the Financial Times points out. So, the Shenzhen Weichuan Model Equipment company started developing interceptors only in October and can already sell several thousand per month, including in Russia and the countries of the Middle East. Its interceptors autonomously identify and attack drones.
Ukraine also produces interceptor drones, but they cannot shoot down Russian jet drones flying at high speed, the Ukrainian TV channel "Politics of the Country" notes.