In a Beijing defence drone facility, a black carbon-fibre body frame sits on a workstation ready for drilling. The material is light and strong, but a fractional error in angle or positioning could affect stealth performance and lead to the scrapping of the entire part.
Master technicians once performed this task – breath held, hands steady – relying on years of muscle memory. Despite their skill, human limitations capped the speed of production and kept costs high.
That changed with a…