China builds artillery-fired drones to strike 6 miles away in seconds

China has successfully developed and tested the world’s first artillery-fired drones, capable of striking targets up to six miles away within seconds. These drones are launched from 155mm artillery shells and can withstand extreme launch forces exceeding 3,000 times their weight, a feat comparable to the pressure of 35 adult African elephants on a human body. After over a decade of skepticism regarding the survivability of electronic components under such intense acceleration, Chinese military scientists overcame these challenges through innovative engineering and government-backed research. The breakthrough centers on a chip-free, mechanically reliable pyrotechnic separation device developed by the Shaanxi Applied Physics and Chemistry Research Institute, the Chinese Air Force, and defense contractor Norinco. This system uses an eight-stage chain reaction involving explosives, flame channels, and pressure chambers to eject the drone mid-flight, remove protective panels, and prepare it for operation—all without electronic controls. Built with hardened stainless steel and a “maze channel” design to control flame propagation, the mechanism reliably functions under