Artificial Intelligence in China: Drone companies embed core functions in products to support military

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Several private enterprises in China have begun to make products geared toward military use. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei visits two drone companies in Tianjin to find out more.

A tell-you-what-it-is function embedded in underwater drones is expected to fulfill children's curiosity at aquariums. With a 99 percent correct rate, the machine developed by Sublue, can quickly tell the name of a swimming fish from thousands of species. But the company's ambitions are far more than helping inquisitive children.

LIU QI GENERAL MANAGER, SUBLUE "If the drone can identify a fish, it can also identify other objects. For example, if you drop a cell phone in water. The machine knows what a cell phone looks like. Then it can quickly locate the phone, which shortens the time searching for it."

The underwater robot can also be used as a tool to support maritime rescue work.

ZHAO YUNFEI TIANJIN "Drones were once the preserve of the military in China, but now the commercialization of high-air and deep-sea explorations have spurred more private companies to get involved."

At another company, All-China-Times, located just a few blocs away their unmanned aircraft helped to test radiation at the China-DPRK border last September after Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test. The company is now producing drones that can be used as firing targets during army drills.

TU KAI GENERAL MANAGER, ALL-CHINA-TIMES "The integration of military and civilian efforts provides a good chance for private companies. The threshold of cooperating with the military is high, so that will increase the quality of products in the market."

With more private companies participating in military manufacturing, the market has begun to focus more on improving the technology and quality of "Made-in-China" products.

Zhao Yunfei, CGTN, Tianjin.