On December 20, an Indonesian fisherman working off the coast of Selayar Island caught more than he bargained for. Aside from the usual haul, he discovered a seven foot Chinese unmanned underwater vehicle. The drone was turned over to authorities, who then publicized the find. Known as gliders, these vehicles use variable-buoyancy propulsion rather than a motor, which enables them to deploy for long periods.
They chart every reef, sand bank, trench or shipwreck on the seafloor. While the gliders themselves are not harmful, it is what they pave the way for that should worry Australians. Detailed maps of channels, straits and seabeds are used for deploying submarines.
This is not the first time a Chinese surveillance drone has been discovered. A similar drone was captured in March 2019 near the Riau Islands. Another turned up at the start of 2020 near the Subaya Naval Base....MORE
