South Africa has joined Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Tunisia in deploying advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence and drones, to enhance border security. South Africa’s technology upgrade includes four quadcopter drones to monitor locations known for illegal crossings. The drones can operate around the clock and use infrared cameras to track people crossing at night.
Military Drone Proliferation Marks Destabilizing Shift in Africa’s Armed Conflicts
A revolution in unmanned drone systems is reshaping conflicts in Africa, providing militaries tactical advantages but also risks.
Drones Over the Nile: Unmanned Aerial Warfare and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces | Aberfoyle International Security
The growing importance of drones in modern warfare has been amply demonstrated in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, even though both states still possess manned military aircraft. In Africa, drones have been used extensively in the struggle between Libya’s rival governments, but the first broad use of drones by a “rebel” movement is taking place in Sudan. There, drones are in steady use by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a former state paramilitary that launched attacks on government institutions and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) on April 15, 2023. Only days after the conflict began, the SAF and other state security institutions declared the RSF “a rebel entity” that was fighting the state and ordered its dissolution (Al-Jazeera, April 17, 2023). [1]
Deadly skies: Drone warfare in Ethiopia and the future of conflict in Africa – European Council on Foreign Relations
Drone warfare is increasing in Ethiopia and across Africa. These foreign-supplied weapons risk prolonging wars and can help drive governments further away from
Sahel militants turn civilian drones into deadly weapons | ISS Africa
As armed groups shift away from direct confrontations with the military, commercial drones are increasingly used to carry out attacks.
The drones being used in Sudan: 1,000 attacks since April 2023
A visual analysis into the types of drones, sourcing methods, attack locations and the human toll of aerial warfare.
The shifting battlefield: technology, tactics, and the risk of blurring lines in warfare - Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog
The accelerating integration of emerging technologies into armed conflict is transforming not only the tools of war, but its tactics, geography, participants and impact. Technological developments – from commercial drones to artificial intelligence, electronic warfare to the military use of civilian infrastructure – risk undermining boundaries between military and civilian domains. These changes challenge long-held...
Drones in the African Battlespaces
C/O Futures Book ReviewLisa J. Campbell22 May 2026Addressing in their book an increasingly prescient topic, the co-editors of Drones in the African Battlespaces, have a background of research in security policy, defense, and global arms concerns. Wayne Stephen Coetzee, a senior lecturer in Political Science at the International Programme in Politics and Economics at the University West in Sweden, has focused his research on security politics, emphasizing the interactions between public and priva
‘Invasive’ AI-led mass surveillance in Africa violating freedoms, warn experts
Countries across the continent have spent more than $2bn on Chinese tracking technology that is not ‘necessary or proportionate’, new report finds
Drones are Changing How Wars Harm Civilians
Drones are rapidly changing war. Without global action, their use will lead to greater civilian harm and expand human suffering in conflict.
Kansas City police will use drones at World Cup 2026: Is your data at risk? | Opinion
Kansas City Police will deploy DJI drones during FIFA World Cup 2026. The FCC and Pentagon cite national security and privacy concerns. From Toriano Porter:
Weaponised Skies: The Expansion of Terrorist Drone Use Across Africa
Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wa al Muslimeen (JNIM) in Mali and Burkina Faso
Drones and AI combine to help bring birds back from the brink
Birds are going extinct at an alarming rate across the globe, but Australian researchers say technology could help turn the tide.
Frequently Asked Questions: International humanitarian law and the use of drones in armed conflict
The use of uncrewed vehicles in armed conflicts has grown significantly in recent years, raising humanitarian, legal, operational and security concerns. Armed remotely piloted aircraft – commonly known as “drones” – are now central to many military operations. While most drones are unarmed and used for surveillance or civilian purposes (such as disaster response, mapping or aid delivery), public debate has largely focused on armed drones and their impact on civilians.
Nigeria: ISWAP extremists launching attack drones
The Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) is now using armed drones for attacks in Nigeria. Analysts say authorities must adopt a new counterterrorism strategy to defeat the insurgents.
The ungoverned sky: Drones and the domestic extremist threat
The combination of easy accessibility and payload potential, and the limitations of domestic counter-drone systems, presents a growing challenge.
Army acquires 43 drones, wings 46 Turkey-trained personnel
The Federal Government has bolstered the Nigerian Army’s operational capacity with the acquisition of 43 Bayraktar TB2 drones, primarily for deployment in
