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The abbreviation for unmanned aerial vehicles is “UAV”. These are uncrewed aircraft operated using radio remote control devices and self-contained program control devices. They lack a cockpit but are equipped with autopilots and program control devices, featuring long flight times, high payloads, and strong resistance to rain and wind. UAVs can track, locate, remotely control, measure, and transmit data. They can also be operated autonomously or intermittently by onboard computers.
01
Applications
Military applications: reconnaissance and target drones.
Civil applications: UAVs plus industry applications are the true necessities for UAVs. Currently, they are used in aerial photography, agricultural protection, selfies, delivery, disaster rescue, wildlife observation, infectious disease monitoring, surveying, news reporting, power inspection, disaster relief, film shooting, and even creating romantic moments.
【Expansion】: Advantages of agricultural protection UAVs
Wide adaptability; high operational efficiency; good quality; low cost; high safety factor for operators and minimal crop damage; easy to use, simple maintenance, high automation, and low labor intensity.
02First UAV
On September 12, 1916, the first radio-controlled unmanned aircraft was test-flown in the United States. UAVs have a simple structure and low cost, capable of performing various tasks unsuitable for manned aircraft, and have been widely used in military applications.
03Classification
1. Classified by flight platform configuration: fixed-wing UAVs, rotary-wing UAVs, airships, parafoil UAVs, flapping-wing UAVs, etc.
2. Classified by purpose: military UAVs and civilian UAVs.
① Military UAVs: reconnaissance UAVs, decoy UAVs, electronic countermeasure UAVs, communication relay UAVs, unmanned combat aircraft, and target drones.
② Civilian UAVs: inspection/surveillance UAVs, agricultural UAVs, meteorological UAVs, exploration UAVs, and surveying UAVs.
3. Classified by operational radius: ultra-short-range UAVs, short-range UAVs, and medium-range UAVs.
4. Classified by operational altitude: ultra-low-altitude UAVs, low-altitude UAVs, and medium-altitude UAVs.
04Star Models
1. “Wing Loong”
The “Wing Loong” UAV is a versatile UAV that integrates reconnaissance and strike capabilities with extended flight times. It represents the latest level of UAV development in China and can be considered a “star” in the field of UAV manufacturing.
In 2005, the “Wing Loong” series UAV project was initiated by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. In early 2018, the new system of the “Wing Loong” UAV achieved a 100% hit rate after various target tests, setting a new record in China with five hits out of five shots. On December 9, 2018, the “Wing Loong” series UAV system received the fifth China Industrial Award.
2. “Evening Star”
In October 2018, the “Evening Star” solar UAV technology verification aircraft completed its first flight. This is the largest solar UAV technology verification aircraft developed by the aviation industry to date. The “Evening Star” has a wingspan of 20 meters and is made entirely of carbon fiber composite materials, using solar energy as power to perform ultra-long-duration all-weather flights, showing great market potential in environmental monitoring, local communication, maritime activities, etc.
3. “Cloud Shadow”
The “Cloud Shadow” UAV is a high-altitude, high-speed UAV developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group Co., Ltd. It was first publicly displayed at the Zhuhai Airshow on November 1, 2016. The design emphasizes stealth, with a serrated design for the front landing gear compartment door and optical windows to reduce radar reflection. It uses a turbojet engine for power, has good high-altitude and high-speed performance, can cruise at an altitude of 14,000 meters, and has a maximum speed of 620 kilometers per hour.
4. “Hawk Eagle”
The “Hawk Eagle” UAV system is a medium-altitude, low-speed UAV system developed by AVIC Guizhou Aircraft Co., Ltd. to meet domestic user needs based on existing mature UAV systems. The “Hawk Eagle” UAV can achieve high precision, high timeliness, multi-payload, and remote sensing imaging on the same platform, making it the largest civilian remote sensing UAV in the country with enormous application potential. It is mainly used for various scales of map surveying, disaster emergency rescue, geographical condition monitoring, land resource surveying, pipeline measurement, border monitoring, maritime monitoring, and scientific research.
5. “Rainbow No. 4”
The “Rainbow No. 4” (CH-4) medium-altitude long-endurance UAV is a large military UAV that integrates reconnaissance and strike capabilities, known for having the strongest payload capacity and best flight capabilities among UAV systems of the same class in China, often referred to as the leader of Chinese military aviation and the “Reaper” of China.
6. “Attack-1” Type
The “Attack-1” type UAV is an active reconnaissance and strike UAV of the Chinese Air Force, praised as the “new favorite” of the informationized battlefield. This UAV features a single engine, high aspect ratio, straight wings, and a V-tail aerodynamic layout, capable of long-duration reconnaissance, monitoring, and attack in low-threat environments. It is equipped with laser indicators and other optical reconnaissance and monitoring devices, capable of guiding anti-tank missiles and providing target indications for other aircraft or ground weapons. This UAV has achieved combat capability.
7. WJ-600 Type
The WJ-600 type high-altitude, high-speed UAV is a large UAV resembling a cruise missile, capable of carrying various advanced optical reconnaissance and synthetic aperture radar electronic detection equipment, as well as air-to-ground missiles like KD-2, turning it into an “air killer”.
8. AT-200
On October 26, 2017, the large cargo UAV AT-200, developed by the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Langxing UAV Company, along with other units, successfully completed its first flight, marking the birth of the world’s first ton-level cargo UAV.
9. “Ganlin-I”
On January 6, 2021, the “Ganlin-I” UAV, which has independent intellectual property rights for artificial weather modification, successfully completed its first flight at Jinchang Jinchuan Airport in Gansu Province. The “Ganlin-I” has capabilities for long-distance meteorological detection, atmospheric data collection, and rain-enhancing catalyst spraying, along with anti-icing capabilities, making it capable of operations under complex weather conditions. This is currently China’s first large-scale artificial weather modification UAV, leading in technology in the global field.
Part 2Question Review
1. (Single Choice Question) Which of the following statements about robots is incorrect? ( )
A. Unmanned vehicles have already become a reality.
B. Robots with considerable learning capabilities have emerged.
C. Robots with a certain degree of autonomous thinking have not yet appeared.
D. Military drones belong to a type of robot.
Analysis:
This question tests technology.
A is correct. Unmanned vehicles are a type of intelligent vehicle, also known as wheeled mobile robots. Research on unmanned vehicles began in developed countries like the US, UK, and Germany in the 1970s, achieving breakthroughs in feasibility and practicality. China began research on unmanned vehicles in the 1980s, with the National University of Defense Technology successfully developing the first true unmanned vehicle in 1992.
B is correct. With the development of artificial intelligence technology, intelligent robots have developed a relatively advanced “brain” and robots with considerable learning capabilities have emerged.
C is correct. Although artificial intelligence technology has developed rapidly, robots with a certain degree of autonomous thinking have not yet appeared.
D is incorrect. Military drones are uncrewed aircraft controlled by remote devices or self-contained programs, while robots are automated machines and not human-controlled, hence military drones do not belong to robots.
This is a question to choose the incorrect option, so the correct answer is D.
2. (Single Choice Question) Drones have been widely used in agricultural production for soil analysis, seed planting, pesticide spraying, crop monitoring, land irrigation, and field management. This agriculture, relying on artificial intelligence, is ( ).
A. Ecological agriculture
B. Precision agriculture
C. Green agriculture
D. Genetic agriculture
Analysis:
This question tests the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Precision agriculture, also known as precise or fine agriculture, is supported by information technology and involves a complete set of modern agricultural operations and management based on spatial variation, implemented at specific times and quantities, representing a new type of agriculture that fully integrates information technology with agricultural production.
Ecological agriculture is established according to the principles of ecology and economics, utilizing modern scientific and technological achievements and modern management methods, along with effective experiences from traditional agriculture, to achieve high economic, ecological, and social benefits.
Green agriculture refers to the coordination of agricultural production and environmental protection, promoting agricultural development and increasing farmers’ income while protecting the environment and ensuring that agricultural products are green and pollution-free.
Thus, the correct answer is B.
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