Exclusive: China tests Tianyan drones fired from artillery for quick disposable battlefield surveillance.

On June 20, 2025, Norinco, the Chinese state-owned defense contractor, unveiled the Tianyan system, an artillery-launched drone platform that marks a paradigm shift in the use of indirect fire for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) missions. Developed jointly with the Chinese Air Force and the Shaanxi Applied Physics and Chemistry Research Institute, Tianyan drones can be launched from 155mm artillery shells and cover over 10 kilometers in seconds. After more than a decade of research, the system survived extreme g-forces in real-life trials. As reported by the South China Morning Post, this innovation positions China at the forefront of drone-artillery integration.
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Tianyan is not just a technological achievement; it signals the birth of a new combat concept that merges firepower, autonomy, and disposability. By leveraging artillery as a drone delivery vector, Norinco and its partners have created a tool for precision battlefield access that circumvents many of the limitations of conventional UAVs (Picture source: Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China)

The Tianyan system belongs to a new category of unmanned aerial platforms launched from cannon shells, combining artillery technology with drone-based ISR. Designed for 155mm artillery systems, the drone is housed in a stainless steel capsule resistant to forces exceeding 1,100 megapascals (MPa) and launch accelerations of up to 36,000 g. The separation system relies entirely on mechanical pyrotechnics, an eight-stage chain reaction involving lead azide and boron-based explosives, flame propagation through maze-like 1mm channels, and sequenced panel ejections. The mechanism was tested under conditions ranging from –50°C to 80°C and across varying bulkhead designs. All five live-fire tests and five ground trials demonstrated flawless mid-air separation and successful flight initiation, ensuring survivability and functionality without any onboard electronics.

The idea of artillery-fired drones was first proposed in 2013 under the name “Tianyan” (Sky Eye) during a Chinese military new-concept aircraft competition. For years, experts doubted that electronic components could survive the high-g environment of a cannon launch, and progress stalled. The project was revived under senior engineer Huang Yunluan, who discarded electronics in favor of purely mechanical solutions. His team subjected the system to rigorous impact tests and advanced internal stress simulations to ensure the device could survive extreme conditions. With consistent support from China’s defense research programs, the Tianyan prototype evolved from a theoretical concept to a proven battlefield tool by 2025.

Tianyan’s key advantage lies in its ability to rapidly deliver drones deep into contested areas without relying on traditional, vulnerable launch platforms. Compared to U.S. loitering munitions like the AeroVironment Switchblade or Israel’s Hero-30, which depend on electric launchers or catapults , Tianyan exploits existing artillery infrastructure, making it cost-effective and harder to detect or disrupt. Unlike tube-launched Soviet drones or mortar-delivered surveillance payloads, Tianyan benefits from higher muzzle velocity, greater altitude potential, and superior mechanical durability, all while avoiding the use of fragile onboard electronics during the launch sequence.

From a strategic standpoint, Tianyan supports China’s broader military doctrine centered on multi-domain integration, battlefield adaptability, and electronic warfare resilience. The system enables near-instantaneous deployment of ISR assets into enemy rear zones, with implications for operations across the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and potential border conflicts. It enhances the PLA’s ability to conduct rapid reconnaissance, jamming, or data relay missions without exposing operators or infrastructure. Furthermore, the system can saturate an area with expendable drones, complicating enemy defenses and enabling real-time targeting for precision artillery or missile strikes.

No procurement contract has been officially announced, but given Norinco’s dominant position in Chinese ground systems and the Air Force’s direct involvement in development, military analysts expect integration into upcoming PLA modernization efforts. The system’s use of existing 155mm shells and its electronics-free nature drastically reduce costs, making it attractive for mass deployment and possible export. Long-term defense planning under China’s 15th Five-Year Plan may earmark specific funding for artillery-drone convergence, with Tianyan poised as the flagship of this shift.

Tianyan is not just a technological achievement; it signals the birth of a new combat concept that merges firepower, autonomy, and disposability. By leveraging artillery as a drone delivery vector, Norinco and its partners have created a tool for precision battlefield access that circumvents many of the limitations of conventional UAVs. As adversaries invest in counter-UAV systems and GPS denial technologies, China’s approach, where launch survivability is guaranteed mechanically and target access is achieved at artillery speed, could define the next generation of unmanned combat operations.