A unit of China’s People’s Armed Police (PAP) has revealed its internal “UAV innovation studio,” highlighting the growing role of field-level drone modification and additive manufacturing in Chinese paramilitary operations.
The studio, featured in newly released footage, shows personnel assembling, repairing, and modifying first-person view (FPV) drones—unmanned aerial vehicles commonly used for reconnaissance and light attack roles.
According to the state-run media, the unit also utilizes 3D printers to produce custom UAV components, including those for fiber-optic guided drones.
The public demonstration underscores an evolving approach to UAV adaptation in China, where military and paramilitary units increasingly rely on modular, small-scale fabrication technologies to accelerate development cycles and extend drone utility in real-world scenarios.
1/2 The so called “UAV innovation studio” of a🇨🇳 PAP (People’s Armed Police) unit showcasing how they assemble, repair & modify FPV UAVs, and how they use 3D printers to design & print UAV parts, including fiber-optic UAVs
(via wb/沉默的山羊) pic.twitter.com/xYHgIlQfkE— Jesus Roman (@jesusfroman) May 28, 2025
In the footage, personnel are seen working on open drone frames, testing camera and antenna placements, and feeding drone part schematics into 3D printers housed within the studio.
The presence of fiber-optic drone components further suggests that the PAP is exploring counter-jamming alternatives—using physical tethering to bypass electronic warfare threats that commonly disrupt radio-controlled UAVs. This mirrors trends observed in other state-run drone programs, which aim to reduce electromagnetic vulnerability during precision or reconnaissance missions.
While the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has long emphasized drone integration at scale, the PAP—tasked with internal security, border control, and key infrastructure protection—has taken steps to operationalize small-unit UAV capabilities with a focus on speed, adaptability, and affordability.
The studio is presented as an internal innovation hub, where UAV systems can be rapidly adapted to mission-specific requirements, including terrain-based flight restrictions, payload delivery, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) functions.
The use of low-cost, customizable drone platforms aligns with broader shifts in modern asymmetric operations, where FPV drones and 3D-printed parts have become a feature in irregular and conventional conflicts alike.