Ball-shaped Reconnaissance Drone Debuts in China-Nepal Exercise

China and Nepal have commenced a joint anti-terrorism military exercise, featuring the debut of a new type of ball-shaped reconnaissance drone.

The exercise, known as Sagarmatha Friendship-2024, began with an opening ceremony at a training base in Chongqing Municipality, China, according to reports from Xinhua News Agency.

This marks the fourth edition of the Sagarmatha Friendship drills, with the last one taking place in 2019. The exercise, which will run until October 1, focuses on joint anti-terrorism operations in urban environments. It will involve various activities, including light arms shooting, group tactics, drone operations, and emergency rescue exercises. The objective is to enhance joint operational capabilities in areas like multidimensional search, mobile infiltration, and armed rescue missions.

China Central Television (CCTV) reported that after the ceremony, over 20 pieces of equipment were showcased, including light arms, reconnaissance tools, and specialized anti-terrorism gear. Among these, intelligent reconnaissance equipment such as a robot dog, through-wall radar, and a self-propelled ball-shaped drone garnered particular attention.

The ball-shaped reconnaissance drone, equipped with cameras and sensors, can be held in one hand and operates by rolling silently across the ground, making it ideal for urban environments. A military expert cited by the Global Times highlighted that the drone offers a low-cost solution to reduce the risk of personnel exposure in dangerous situations.

In addition to the anti-terrorism drills, the exercise will also feature exchanges on disaster relief operations, covering responses to natural disasters like earthquakes, snow damage, and debris flows. Cultural exchanges aimed at strengthening mutual trust and understanding between the Chinese and Nepali militaries also took place during the event.