China unleashes the robo-boats

China is leading the development of drone technology by building robo-boats.

Video from late May shows a swarm of 56 small unmanned surface vehicles manoeuvring in the South China Sea.

While the vessels are aren’t armed at this stage, the primary purpose of the test was to demonstrate how the PLA envisages using a swarming autonomous weapon system.

By holding this world-first technology demonstration in the South China Sea, China is sending a clear message to the United States that it won’t back down from its ownership claims in the region.