Small commercial sea drones have demonstrated the capability to monitor People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warships in the South China Sea, presenting a new challenge for Beijing in the contested waters.
On June 16, a Lightfish drone operated by Seasats, a California-based autonomous vessel manufacturer, was recorded near a Chinese Type 052D guided-missile destroyer. The footage, released last week and verified by Reuters, shows the drone operating approximately 105 kilometers (65 miles) northwest of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. The exact location of the encounter was not disclosed.
Seasats has not disclosed who commissioned the drone or the mission it was undertaking. However, the company has previously reported receiving over US$100 million in contracts from the US government.
Ray Powell, director of Stanford University’s SeaLight Foundation, emphasized the significance of the event, stating, “The key point isn’t that a Chinese destroyer was observed; it’s that a relatively inexpensive commercial platform was able to do it.”
The Philippines has yet to respond to the incident. Meanwhile, the Chinese foreign ministry stated that the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s activities were in compliance with international law.
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