Incredible underwater robot shark unveiled at Chinese technology fair

This a development model shown off in September 2020

What's cooler than a drone? How about an underwater drone? How about an underwater drone that looks like a shark?

What about if it is powered by a robotic tail fin that simulates the way an actual shark moves through the water?

Well, that is what Robo-Shark does! It's been built by a Chinese company called Boya Gongdao Robot Technology.

The company say the final version is even bigger than the demo versions shown at a technology expo in September 2020, with one model being over two metres long - around the same size as a real large shark.

How fast can a bionic tail fin move a robotic drone shark anyway?

The incredible robotic tail-fin can propel the Robo-Shark at around six knots, which is about 6.5mph/11kmph - that's about the speed of an adult jogging quite quickly.

The drone can also operate in near-silence.

It is also fitted with an underwater camera, single-beam, multi-beam and side-scan sonar - these help it navigate in water and take underwater pictures.

The robot could be used by the Chinese military in search and rescue missions and will also help with underwater communications.

It could also be involved in something called reconnaissance, which in military terms is when one military monitors what another group is doing.