69 h. ago Study shows how robots replaced master workers in Chinese military drone factory

In a Beijing defence drone facility, a black carbon-fibre body frame sits on a workstation ready for drilling. The material is light and strong, but a fractional error in angle or positioning could affect stealth performance and lead to the scrapping of the entire part. Master technicians once performed this task – breath held, hands steady – relying on years of muscle memory. Despite their skill, human limitations capped the speed of production and kept costs high. That changed with a...

Events

3 d. ago China’s top drone maker DJI comes down to earth with launch of robotic cleaner

Chinese drone giant DJI is expected to launch a vacuum cleaning robot in a move set to intensify competition in the country’s crowded robotic cleaner market, according to a report by the state-backed financial newspaper China Securities Journal, citing internal sources. Shenzhen-based DJI will introduce a combination vacuum cleaner and mopping robot this month, a project that has been under development over the past four years, according to the report. The product is called DJI ROMO, according...

Events

5 d. ago Trump moves to block foreign drone makers from selling new models in US

US President Donald Trump has signed executive orders meant to rebuild America’s drone industry, tighten airspace security and boost military readiness, potentially squeezing Chinese manufacturers like DJI and Autel Robotics out of the market. “Immediate action is needed to ensure American sovereignty over its skies,” Trump stated in one of the orders, warning that foreign-made drones were “endangering the public” and compromising critical infrastructure. The orders also call for federal...

Politics

5 d. ago Hong Kong’s food delivery scene soars with drone services to Ma On Shan

Food delivery in Hong Kong has reached a new height as a major provider has started to use drones to send orders, cutting waiting time by 35 minutes. The service, provided by Keeta Drone, a subsidiary of mainland Chinese food delivery giant Meituan, delivers orders from two fast-food restaurants in Science Park to a landing zone on Ma On Shan Promenade. The operator said it was planning to expand the service to other locations in the new town using the company’s automatic kiosk system. “The...

Society

3 w. ago Chinese drone maker EHang sees flying taxis take off by 2030 on the mainland

EHang, which is conducting trials in Guangzhou and Hefei, will offer services in restricted corridors in these two cities by year-end.

Events

3 w. ago Chinese drone maker EHang sees regular flying taxi services by 2030

Flying taxis could be used for public transport within the next five years on the mainland, according to a senior executive of Chinese passenger drone maker EHang Holdings. “I believe that by 2030, China will likely have fixed-route air shuttle services,” chief financial officer Conor Yang said in an interview on Tuesday. “It’s also possible that in some cities, with sufficient infrastructure such as take-off and landing points, air taxi services could emerge.” The Nasdaq-listed developer of...

Events