From Sudan to Ukraine, UAVs have upended warfighting tactics and become one of the most destructive weapons of conflict.
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 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.
Design, Destroy, Dominate. The Mass Drone Warfare as a Potential Military Revolution
The widespread use of drones observed in Ukraine—both in terms of the scale of the fleets deployed and their omnipresence in the operations of both belligerents—appears to meet the conditions of a genuine military revolution.
On the Horizon: The Ukraine War and the Evolving Threat of Drone Terrorism - Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Abstract: This article analyzes the evolution of terrorist drone usage and forecasts its future trajectory in light of the tactical and technological innovations emerging from the Russo-Ukrainian War. The conflict has become a critical “innovation hub” for drone warfare, accelerating advancements in the scale, speed, and range of drone operations. These developments are not only … Continued
In Ukraine, a New Arsenal of Killer A.I. Drones Is Being Born
As the war grinds on, sophisticated Russian defenses have pushed Ukraine to develop a frightening new weapon: semiautonomous killing machines.
How drone combat in Ukraine is changing warfare
In Ukraine, drones have changed warfare, surveilling frontlines, guiding artillery and destroying enemy targets. These can be close by or hundreds of kilometres away, deep in Russian and Ukrainian territory.
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]
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.
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.
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
War Without End: How Drone Warfare and Failed Diplomacy Are Fragmenting Sudan
Tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue to rise amid the over two-year civil war as the RSF’s targeting of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum and its main airport has persisted. The SAF reclaimed Khartoum from the RSF in March by recapturing the presidential palace and government headquarters […]
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.
Ukraine's DIY drone makers are helping fighters on the front lines
The war in Ukraine is now largely being fought with drones. Ukraine made 2 million last year. Drone makers churn them out in factories and mom-and-pop operations like one in a Kyiv basement apartment.
Turkish Drone Strikes: Acts of State Terrorism
Turkey is emerging as one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to using military drones, especially
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...
Drone Warfare in Ukraine: The Interplay of High- and Low-Tech Solutions
Autonomous Tech & Fiber-Optic Vehicles
