Chinese drone traverses Earth’s deepest point in Mariana Trench

A Chinese drone has traversed the deepest point on Earth, the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean, the South China Morning Post reported Wednesday.

The drone, reportedly no larger than a briefcase, was designed to succeed in areas where no other machines can go, including those that belong to the US Navy.

The drone, made by researchers at Beihang University in Beijing, uses intelligent metal actuators that convert extreme water pressure into propulsion. It allows it to swim, glide and crawl through the trench's 10.7-kilometer (6.6-mile) depth.

The accomplishment, outlined in a groundbreaking Science Robotics study last week, highlights the growing divide between Beijing and Washington.

China conducted 246 deep-sea dives in 2024, while the US continues to depend on aging submersibles such as the 61-year-old Alvin, which has a maximum depth of 6,500 meters (21,300 feet).

The drone utilizes shape memory alloys for deep-sea soft actuation. The technology not only enables the robot to function under high pressure but aids the submersible's robotic arm in performing underwater tasks.