DEFENCE

Why Drones in Defence?

• Reduced risk to personnel

• 24/7 surveillance and rapid response

• Cost-effective compared to manned aircraft

• Precision strikes with minimal collateral damage

• Deep penetration into hostile territory without detection

Categories of Military Drones 

• Reconnaissance Drones

• Combat Drones (UCAVs)

• Tactical Drones

• Loitering Munitions

• Nano/Micro Drones

• Cargo Drones

Armed Drone Examples 

• MQ-9 Reaper USA

• Bayraktar TB2 Turkey

• Wing Loong II China

• Heron TP Israel

• Shahed 136 Iran

Key Military Applications

• Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)   Track enemy movement, map terrain, assess targets

• Target Acquisition and Precision Strike    Engage hostile assets with laser-guided munitions

• Electronic Warfare (EW)      Jam enemy communications, radar deception

• Battlefield Logistics       Deliver supplies in contested zones

• Search and Rescue (SAR)        Locate and extract wounded troops

• Swarm Attacks       AI-powered drone swarms to overwhelm defenses

Technologies Behind Military Drones

• AI & Machine Learning – For autonomous decision-making, object detection

• Secure Data Links – Encrypted real-time communication

• Stealth Design – Low radar cross-section

• GPS-Denied Navigation – Visual/inertial SLAM in hostile environments

• Counter-Drone Systems – Drones fighting drones (anti-UAV measures)

Real-World Examples

• Conflict/Theatre Drone Role

• Russia–Ukraine War Recon, kamikaze strikes, loitering munitions

• Syrian Civil War Armed drone missions and ISR

• US Operations in the Middle East Long-range strikes, surveillance

• Nagorno-Karabakh War (2020) Heavy use of Turkish and Israeli drones

Advantages

• Long-duration missions without fatigue

• Real-time situational awareness

• High precision with low collateral impact

• Operable in denied or hostile zones

• Faster deployment than conventional aircraft

The Future of Drones in Defence

• AI-powered swarms for autonomous battlefield operations 

• Hypersonic drone jets for rapid response 

• Modular combat drones with interchangeable payloads 

• Mothership drones launching smaller drones mid-air

• Human-drone teaming with fighter pilots or ground troops