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Chinese Prototype With Unusual Shape Resembles Famous Gimbal Incident of U.S. Navy and Promises to Unite Efficiency in Flight and Versatility.
Nearly ten years after U.S. Navy pilots reported a spindle-shaped object off the East Coast, Chinese researchers presented a prototype that resembles the famous “Gimbal” incident.
That encounter was recorded in 2015 by an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The video, declassified only in 2021, sparked debates about unidentified aerial phenomena and possible technologies beyond known military capabilities.
Now, scientists from Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics have conducted a test flight of a drone that carries a silhouette very similar to the object filmed by the U.S. Navy.
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The Chinese Project
According to the South China Morning Post, the team developed a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone with an unconventional shape. The design deviates from quadcopters and fixed wings, adopting a closed elliptical wing structure with a straight central section and vertical stabilizers.
The result is an aircraft that resembles a spindle. At the junction points of the wings, four rotors were installed, responsible for lifting the vehicle and stabilizing the transition of flight.
Professor Liu Zhanhe, the project leader, explained that the concept aims to combine the advantages of multirotor drones and fixed-wing aircraft. The goal is to solve a historical dilemma: to combine vertical takeoff capability with efficient flight range.
Differences Compared to Traditional Drones
Conventional VTOL drones can take off and land in confined areas, but they compromise on endurance and range. Fixed-wing drones are efficient in flight but depend on runways or catapults to operate.
The Chinese team’s proposal fills this gap. During takeoff and landing, the rotors provide continuous lift. In the air, the aircraft switches to forward flight, and the hybrid wing generates significant lift with the help of circulation and pressure control.
Tests and simulations showed that the lift curve slope of this drone is more than double that obtained with straight wings. In flight, data confirmed notable efficiency gains, ensuring stability at low speeds and high angles of attack.
Possible Applications
The prototype was designed to carry modular loads. It can transport sensors, emergency equipment, supply pods, or atmospheric samplers.
Highlighted applications include battlefield surveillance, maritime reconnaissance, environmental monitoring, and emergency missions. The drone can collect water samples, deliver supplies to remote locations, and operate in search and rescue operations, especially in coastal areas.
The Chinese newspaper also reported that simpler derivative projects are being studied for naval use. The idea would be to launch drones from warships, expanding operational capacity at sea.
Technical Challenges
Despite the promising initial results, the team acknowledges obstacles. The ring shape of the wing generates extra aerodynamic drag. Therefore, adjustments in curvature and overall shape are still needed to reduce losses.
Another point is control. Algorithms need refinement to avoid inefficient flights that increase drag. Some critics have stated that aircraft of this shape run the risk of instability.
Nonetheless, Liu and his colleagues reported that the prototype maintained stable flight in various tests. The wing managed air flow well and responded adequately to more aggressive angles.
An Echo of the Gimbal Case
For observers, the silhouette of the Chinese drone directly evokes the “Gimbal” video. In 2015, the U.S. Navy could not explain what its pilots saw.
Chinese researchers, on the other hand, argue that unusual shapes can offer real aerodynamic advantages. In publishing the peer-reviewed study, the team summarized the concept with a phrase: “It has the best of both worlds, from multirotor aircraft to fixed-wing aircraft.”
The result rekindles the comparison between a decade-old mystery and the technological advancements that are beginning to take shape in laboratories.
Eu já imaginava quê alguns objetos voadores era coisas do ser humano inclusive a anos atrás eu vi um video vazado na dark web um disco voador decolando de uma base americana inclusive os alemães na segunda treta mundial já estava testando naves em forma de disco com o estraveio de documentos alemão na segunda treta e claro quê alguém continuaria fazendo **** como esse.!