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Modern air defenses are increasingly challenged by the growing use of unmanned aircraft, but the rapid evolution of drone swarming threatens to complicate this picture even further. Most existing drones carry their own sensors or weapons, but only a handful can deploy smaller systems mid-air—an ability that dramatically expands the operational envelope of uncrewed aviation.
A new large jet-powered drone design, unveiled ahead of this year’s Zhuhai Airshow, appears built specifically for that role. The platform, referred to as Jiu Tian, is reported to have a maximum takeoff weight near 10 tons—placing it among the heaviest unmanned aircraft of its class—and features a modular central bay labeled as a “hive module.” Imagery suggests this section is intended to release multiple smaller drones, potentially enabling coordinated swarm operations at long range.
The emergence of a swarm-mothership drone is significant; platforms of this size can travel farther and carry more diverse payloads than smaller UAVs, allowing operators to disperse swarms deep into contested areas without exposing crewed aircraft. Swarm units can be configured for ISR, jamming, decoying, or kinetic effects, presenting layered threats that are difficult to counter individually. Such systems also support distributed operations, where a single mothership seeds multiple autonomous assets across a wide battlespace.
The aircraft itself incorporates several noteworthy design details. It uses a single jet engine mounted above the fuselage, a high-mounted straight wing with winglets, and an H-shaped tail. A stabilized electro-optical/infrared sensor turret sits under the nose, and a nose radome suggests room for a radar. Eight underwing hardpoints provide additional payload flexibility, though none have yet been shown with external stores.
According to The War Zone, the central module is the most distinctive element. Based on markings and translations from the airshow display, the bay appears intended to house and deploy smaller drones in organized groups. This differs from traditional armed UAVs, which carry munitions or sensors but do not act as airborne launch platforms.
Beyond swarming, the heavy airframe and modular center section indicate that the design could be reconfigured for additional missions such as wide-area surveillance, atmospheric sampling, or cargo delivery. With long endurance and jet propulsion, the drone could rapidly reposition across theater-level distances and remain on station far longer than smaller UAVs.
As large uncrewed platforms continue to advance globally, the appearance of a jet-powered swarm carrier points to a new phase in drone development—one that blends endurance, payload capacity, and distributed autonomy into a single system.
