CETC says mature formations of similar drones are the foundation for a combat network linking uncrewed assets across domains
2-MIN READ2-MINAlbee Zhangin ShanghaiPublished: 6:00pm, 9 Sep 2026If mastering drone-swarm technology was not difficult enough, China is now tackling the more complex task of integrating uncrewed land, sea and air platforms, according to the country’s leading developer in the field.
China had made advances in developing and deploying swarm systems made up of similar drones, the institute noted. The country’s longer-term goal, however, was a combat network capable of coordinating different uncrewed platforms across the entire operational area and in multiple domains.
The institute said large-scale field tests had shown that drone swarms could autonomously reconfigure their networks, close gaps in formation and continue missions under extreme conditions, including the loss of individual units in combat, communications disruptions and intense electromagnetic interference.
Work is continuing on technologies to improve the survivability of heterogeneous swarms – comprising different drone platforms – during long-range operations in heavily contested environments.
