By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-08 11:01:42 | Updated at 2025-01-09 05:25:28
18 hours ago
An obituary confirmed that Zhang Daibing, chairman of a drone start-up and ex-deputy director of a drone research institute at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT), died on Friday.
Zhang was just 47 years old. He was considered one of China’s top experts in the drone industry. The obituary did not mention the cause of death.
After earning his PhD from NUDT in 2007, he stayed on as a faculty member and held several key positions, including deputy director of the university’s Unmanned Systems Research Institute.
Over more than a decade, he led or took part in more than 20 national, military, and government research projects. His contributions earned him a first-class Military Scientific and Technological Progress Award, as well as a second-class Invention Award from Hunan province.
In addition to his academic and research work, Zhang served as a member of the new drone systems expert group of the People’s Liberation Army’s Ground Forces Equipment Department. He was also a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Microelectronics and a distinguished expert at the computer research institute of the China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco).
In 2018, Zhang transitioned into entrepreneurship, founding Yunzhihang Technology Co, Ltd in Changsha, Hunan province. His company has focused on the development and sale of drones, with innovations including a “robotic snake” and drones designed for high-rise firefighting.
In 2021, Zhang and his team developed high-voltage direct-drive technology that enabled drones to carry payloads of up to 500kg (1,102lbs), which would allow them to carry equipment such as water cannons and hosepipes to altitudes over 100 metres (328 feet) for tasks such as window cleaning and firefighting.
