A global OSINT map of targeted small drone attacks on civilians since 2022.
Short-range drone attacks killed 395 civilians, injured 2,635 between February 2022 and April 2025, UN human rights monitors find
The bulletin documents attacks in which drone operators targeted civilians driving private cars, taking the bus, walking outdoors, cycling, providing humanitarian assistance or evacuating civilians, and riding in clearly marked ambulances.
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.
Recent Developments in Drone Threats to Humanitarians
The threat of drones to humanitarians is a rising concern. High-profile incidents—such as the fatal multiple-strike attack on an aid convoy in Gaza in April 2024—have made this dynamic an even greater priority for risk managers.Global data on this emerging threat is currently defined by the rapid increase and volume of drone attacks perpetrated by Russian forces in Ukraine, and to a lesser extent, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). In other contexts, like Sudan, Iraq, and Syria, governments are also the primary perpetrators of drone incidents. Nonetheless, the list of drone operators in complex humanitarian settings has increased and diversified since 2022, particularly among organised armed groups (OAGs), driving further interest within the humanitarian community.
The Civilian Impact of Drones: Unexamined Costs, Unanswered Questions | Center for Civilians in Conflict
This joint report from the Center for Civilians in Conflict and Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Clinic is an in-depth look at the US government’s covert drone program and its impact on civilian populations. Our objective is to critically assess US government procedures and standards for ensuring civilian protection and responding to civilian harm from…
‘Horrific’ civilian toll as Ethiopia turns to combat drones
Indiscriminate drone strikes have hit non-military targets and killed hundreds of civilians – but there is little chance of any accountability.
War correspondents given 5 drone detectors – NUJU and Ukrainian manufacturer’s initiative
The sharp increase in drone attacks in frontline areas creates a new, even more dangerous reality for journalists. In response to the escalation of threats
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
ICRC President criticises drone use in warfare over rising civilian casualties
ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger warns that drones are being used to deliberately target civilians, eroding international humanitarian law.
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.
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.
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.
Moving Targets: Implications of the Russo-Ukrainian War for Drone Terrorism - Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Abstract: Small and commercially available drones in the hands of violent extremists pose a rapidly growing terrorist threat. This article examines that threat in the light of the invasion of Ukraine. Consumer drones such as DJI Mavics, FPV racing drones, and Shahed-style one-way attack drones have become potent weapons. Their affordability, accessibility, and adaptability enable … Continued
Weaponised Skies: The Expansion of Terrorist Drone Use Across Africa
Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wa al Muslimeen (JNIM) in Mali and Burkina Faso
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.
Drone attack in gang-controlled slum in Haiti kills at least 8 children, injures 6 others
Explosive drones targeting a suspected gang leader in Haiti have killed at least eight children and seriously wounded six others.
Living under armed drones: an ethnography of terror and survival in Northeastern Syria - AOAV
An ethnographic study of northeastern Syria reveals how Turkish armed drone strikes between 2019 and 2023 have reshaped daily life, instilling fear, destroying infrastructure, and forcing civilians to adopt survival strategies under constant surveillance and random violence.
