“China’s High-Tech Wizardry: Transforming Drones into Radar-Confounding Flying Stadiums”

Rather than employing a stealth strategy, these Chinese scientists strive to deceive radar personnel into believing that a radar reflector – approximately the dimensions of an iPad – is a mysterious flying object (UFO) comparable in size to a sports stadium.

The outcome – akin to a massive flying saucer suddenly appearing in the sky – would evoke imagery from a science fiction movie, yet it is feasible, as per a peer-reviewed study published on January 8.

The study, published in the Chinese-language publication Radar Science and Technology, indicated that the researchers developed a radar cross-section (RCS) – the reflection generated by a target’s energy output – for the tablet measuring 5,240 square meters (56,400 sq ft).

The team, led by Chen Qiang, an associate researcher at the National University of Defence Technology’s school of electronic science and technology, claimed the effect was achieved with “unprecedented efficiency”.

By energizing the radar reflector while it was transported by a drone, the researchers discovered it could “significantly enhance RCS to obscure the attributes of genuine targets, effectively accomplishing tactical objectives like anti-reconnaissance and counter-attack”.