The Chinese company Poly Defence, an organizational division of the larger Poly Technologies and part of the industrial group Poly Group, is promoting the CH-901 “kamikaze” drone on the global market. This system has been entering service with combat units of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China since 2016, marking its presence in modern military strategy.
This “killer drone” from China is built with an aircraft-like design, featuring a tandem wing that unfolds after launch from a tube. It has a takeoff mass of 9 kg and is powered by electric motors. Its onboard camera can detect objects up to 2 km away, and the electric motor, according to developers, produces no excessive noise.
Flight Capabilities and Range
The length of this loitering munition is 1.2 meters. Its maximum flight duration varies from 40 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the mass of the payload used in each specific case. Flight altitude can range from 100 meters to 1.5 km, and the operator’s control range can reach up to 10 km.
These “killer drones” are supplied to troops as part of a complex that includes three “kamikaze” drones and one portable control station. The total weight of all elements of the complex – the three aircraft and the control station – is only about 45 kg, allowing the system to be easily carried by two or three soldiers.
Innovations and the Barrage Swarm System
In 2018, China introduced a launcher with eight CH-901s, designed for sequential deployment. In the same year, the Chinese Armed Forces tested the unique Barrage Swarm combat module, mounted on the three-axle chassis of a Dongfeng Menshi armored vehicle, an analog of the Hummer. This special three-axle chassis housed a system capable of launching 48 combat drones.
The drones are launched by compressed air, then unfold their wings and fly to the designated area using an electrically powered propeller. These kamikaze drones carry high-explosive fragmentation warheads, potentially powerful enough to destroy tanks and other armored vehicles.
A distinctive feature of the new Barrage Swarm complex is its “swarming” technology: the operator only needs to indicate the target. Thanks to special software, the drones fly together without colliding, interacting with each other to guarantee the completion of their assigned task.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | CH-901 |
| Wingspan, m | 1.50 |
| Length, m | 1.20 |
| Height, m | 0.37 |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 9 |
| Engine type | 1 Electric motor |
| Power, hp | 1 x |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 150 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 70-120 |
| Range, km | 15 |
| Flight endurance, h | 2 |
| Service ceiling, m | 100-1500 |
Image and diagram gallery of the CH-901
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