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DRONES OPERATING IN SYRIAAND IRAQDecember 2016FIELD GUIDEBy Dan GettingerIn Syria and Iraq today, there are moredrones, made in more countries, andflown by more groups, than in anyprevious conflict. Once primarily thedomain of technologically advancedmilitaries such as the United States,drones are being adopted by less technologically advanced militaries, militias,and non-state actors withincreasing frequency, andthese groups are adaptingthe technology to a rangeof operations.This publication providesa guide to the systemsthat are reported tobe operating in Syriaand Iraq. Based on analysis of visualmedia, we have found that at least 32different identifiable drone models madein six countries have been reported tobe operating in the conflict. Of the 32types of systems, 10 were made in theUnited States, nine in China, six in Iran,four in Russia, two in Israel, and one inTurkey. The majority of the drones arelight hand or rail-launched small tacticalsurveillance drones. Of these, eightrecreational hobby drones have beenidentified from the reports. A handful ofother unidentified and homemade dronetypes have also been spotted.The conflict represents the first knownuse of many of these systems in actualcombat. The Iranian Shahed-129 andChinese CH-4, two rough equivalents tothe U.S. MQ-1 Predator, conducted theirfirst known drone strikes in Iraq and Syriain 2016 and 2015 respectively. Affordablerecreational drones made in China havealso made their way onto the battlefield,marking a milestone in the widespreadproliferation of aerial surveillanceplatforms among insurgent and terroristgroups. The conflict marks the first timethat hobby drones have been modifiedwith explosives and turned into flyingimprovised explosive devices.This collection includesdrones ranging fromTurkey’s Bayraktar tacticalsurveillance and strikedrone to the DJI Phantom,a popular hobby drone.For each of the systemsfeatured in this guide, weprovide a short background,key system features andspecifications, and reported users. Eachplatform profile is also accompanied by aphoto from our collection of reports fromIraq and Syria.SUMMARY38326Total SystemsIdentified UnmannedAircraft SystemsUnidentified UnmannedAircraft SystemsEdited by Arthur Holland Michel. Editorialsupport provided by Madi Garvin, ErinO’Leary, and Clara Levy. Research supportprovided by Elena Botts.Image via: @markito01711
REPORTED DRONESHeavyMediumLight AircraftDroneCountry of Origin ManufacturerAerosonde MK4.7 United StatesTextron SystemsDesert HawkUnited StatesLockheed MartinEleron 3SVRussiaENICSF550ChinaDJIInspireChinaDJIMatrice 100ChinaDJIMy Twin DreamChinaMyFlyDreamOghabIranFarnas PasargadOrlan 10RussiaSpecial Technological CenterPchela-1TRussiaYakovlev Design BureauPhantomChinaDJIPtero-G0RussiaAFM ServersPumaUnited StatesAeroVironmentRavenUnited StatesAeroVironmentScanEagleUnited StatesInsituSkyhunterChinaTensho Model Co.SkylarkIsraelElbit SystemsSkywalkerChinaGuilin Feiyu ElectronicTechnologSwitchbladeUnited StatesAeroVironmentTalonChinaHOOAH ostIsrael/RussiaIsrael Aerospace IndustriesMohajer-4IranQods AviationShadowShahed-123United StatesIranTextron SCGray EagleUnited StatesGeneral AtomicsPredatorUnited StatesGeneral AtomicsReaperUnited StatesGeneral AtomicsShahed-129IranHESA2
RESEARCH AND ORGANIZATIONThe research for this publication is based on an analysis of visual media postedon social networks such as Twitter and YouTube. The images of drones in Iraqand Syria are sourced from photos and videos that are reported to be taken fromthe conflict zone. This guide leverages the work of numerous journalists andonline weapons analysts who monitor Syria and Iraq, including @green lemonnn,@AbraxasSpa, @Terror Monitor, @oryxspioenkop, Hassan Ridha, HarryBoone, Haidar Sumeri, Jeremy Binnie, Adam Rawnsley, and Galen Wright. Theauthenticity of these images has not been independently verified. As such, thisguide should be not construed as a complete list of systems currently operating intheater. Furthermore, while some of these systems appear on a regular basis, othershave only been spotted once or twice. A chronological list of reports and imagesof drones from Iraq and Syria that formed the basis for this guide can be found onour website, dronecenter.bard.edu.The systems are organized according to the country of origin of themanufacturer. We only note known groups using each system in Syria and Iraq,not all system users in the world. Unless otherwise noted, the specifications foreach system are taken from the manufacturer.3
Image credit: WikimediaImage credit: WikimediaImage credit: László Kübler/YouTubePhantomInspireF550 Flame WheelThe Phantom series drones are multirotor consumer unmanned aircraftmade by Dà-Jiāng Innovations Scienceand Technology, better known as DJI.In Syria and Iraq, the Phantom is flownby a variety of state and non-stategroups.The Inspire series drones are multirotor consumer unmanned aircraft madeby DJI. The Inspire is believed to beflown by Syrian government forces.The F550 Flame Wheel is a build-ityourself multirotor drone kit manufactured by DJI. The F550 is believed tobe flown by Syrian government forces.In November 2013, Syrian rebelsclaimed to have shot down a Phantomthat belonged to Syrian governmentforces.1 An August 2014 video releasedby the Islamic State revealed for thefirst time that the group flies the DJIPhantom.2An October 17, 2015 photo reportedly released by Syrian army soldiersshows one DJI Inspire among severalDJI Phantoms.7In October 2013, a F550 reportedlybelonging to the Syrian Arab Armycrashed behind rebel lines.11The first generation Phantom wasunveiled on January 7, 2013.3 As anaffordable and ready-to-fly machine,the Phantom helped popularize drones.In 2015, DJI held 70 percent of theconsumer drone market.4 The Phantom4 was released on March 3, 2016.5The Inspire 1 was released in November 2014.8 It was marketed as amid-way point between the hobbyPhantom drones and the drones aimedat professional filmmakers.9The Flame Wheel F550 is the largestin the F-series of drone airframes builtby DJI.12The Phantoms have white airframes,four rotors, skid landing gear, andgreen and red lights.The Inspire has T-shaped arms thatretract upon takeoff to give the cameraan unobstructed view.The Flame Wheel is a hexacopterdrone; it has six arms and skid landinggear. It is designed to be more durableand crash-resistant than smaller iptionCHINASpecificationsSyria, August 18,2015 Image via: @JulianRoepckeSyria, September 17,2016 Image via: @RaoKomar747Width38 cmLength22 cmSpeed72 km/hWeight1.36Endrance0.3 hrsPrice 1,1996SourceSyria, October 1, 2013. Imagevia: Hamilton’s MilitaryChannel/YouTubeSyria, October 17,2015. Image via: @IvanSidorenko1Width45.1 cmLength43.8 cmWeight2.94 kgEndurance0.4 hrsPrice 1,400Diagonal0.55 mMTOW2.4 kgPrice 369Source 13Source 104
Image credit: Ricom69/YouTubeMatrice 100Skyhunter FPVSkywalker X8The Matrice 100 is a multirotor dronemanufactured by DJI. The Matrice isflown by Iraqi Federal Police.The Skyhunter is a fixed-wing hobbydrone made by Tensho (Xiamen)Model Co., Ltd., a manufacturer ofhobby drones based in Fujian province.The Skyhunter is flown by ISIL.The Skywalker X8 is a fixed-winghobby drone made by Guilin FeiyuElectronic Technology. The Skywalkeris flown by ISIL.SightingsA November 2016 photo by AchilleasZavallis showed Iraqi police operatinga DJI Matrice 100 south of Mosul.14In October 2014, the Syrian Armyreportedly shot down a Skyhunter inDeir Ezzor that it claimed belongedto an ISIL.17 Since then, multipleSkyhunter drones reportedly belongingto IS have been downed or captured.18An early sighting of the Skywalkertook place in August 2015 whenthe Kurdish Peshmerga recovered aSkywalker near Iraq’s Mosul Dam.21In November 2016, a Skywalker wascaptured by Kurdish forces in westernManbij, Syria.22BackgroundThe Matrice 100 is intended to be usedby academic and professional droneusers. It was unveiled in June 2015.15The Skyhunter can be purchasedfrom most major online hobby droneretailers and is a popular model for“first-person view” (FPV) recreationalflying.19Like the Skyhunter, the Skywalker X8is a popular platform for first-personview flying.The Matrice 100 has double theflight time of the Phantom andcomes equipped with the automated“Guidance” obstacle avoidancesystem.The Skyhunter has a twin-boomempennage configuration, twinvertical stabilizers, and a roundedfuselage nose. It has high-mountedstraight-wing mainplanes.The Skywalker design is knownas a flying wing or swept wing, ablended wing-body aircraft. It has acone-shaped fuselage, and blendedwinglets. It is hand-launched, althoughsome configurations have included abungee or rail-launch system.23DescriptionImage credit: Братья Райт/YouTubeFeaturesCHINAImage credit: Gabor Zoltan/YouTubeSpecificationsImagesIraq, October 17,2016. Image via: @BeyondTheLevantImage available here.Iraq, December 13,2015. Image via:Alqurtas NewsDiagonal0.65 mMTOW3.6 kgWingspan2.12 mMax Speed79 km/hPayload2 kgEndurance0.6 hrsPrice 179*Price 3,299Source 20Source 16Syria, July 23, 2016.Image via: @ConflictsWingspan1.8 mLength0.65 mMTOW3.5 kgPrice 111*Source 245Iraq, Aug. 27, 2015.Image via: @greenlemonnn
CHINAMy Twin DreamCH-4 RainbowDescriptionX-UAV TalonThe X-UAV Talon is a fixed-winghobby drone made by HOOAH Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. in Jiangsu,China.25 The Talon is flown by ISIL.My Twin Dream is a fixed-winghobby drone made by MyFlyDream.My Twin Dream is flown by KurdishPeshmerga.The CASC CH-4 “Rainbow” is amedium-altitude, long-endurancesurveillance and strike drone madeby China Academy of AerospaceAerodynamics. The CH-4 is flown bythe Iraqi Air Force.SightingsImage credit: XinhuaIn October 2015, Iraqi Federal Policereported that they had shot down anISIL Talon drone east of Ramadi.26 InJune 2016, the Levant Front, a rebelgroup in Syria, reported shooting downa Talon in Aleppo, Syria.27An October 2016 photo showed a MyTwin Dream aircraft being prepared byKurdish Peshmerga during the MosulOffensive.30Shortly after Iraq acquired the CH-4in October 2015, it began using thesystem to carry out drone strikesagainst the Islamic State.33 34 In January2016, an Iraqi CH-4 mistakenly killednine members of an Iraqi Shi’ite militathat was fighting ISIL.35BackgroundImage credit: alishanmao/YouTubeLike the Skyhunter and the Skywalker,the styrofoam Talon is a popular modelfor first-person view flying, widelyavailable from online retailers.28My Twin Dream is another popularremote-control hobby aircraft thatis widely available. With its largeairframe and twin motors, My TwinDream is designed for long-distanceflying.31The CH-4 was publicly unveiled at theZhuhai Air Show in November 2012.36In 2016, a CH-4 performed a live firetest via a satellite link, a first for aChinese drone.37FeaturesImage credit: RC Life/YouTubeThe Talon has a v-tail (also known asa butterfly tail), sort of like a miniatureversion of the CH-4 or Reaper drones.It has a monoplane shoulder wingdesign and pusher configuration.My Twin Dream has a twin motor configuration. It has a standard tailplaneand shoulder-mounted wings. Thepayload bay is located in the nose ofthe fuselage.Like the U.S. Reaper remotely pilotedaircraft, the CH-4 has a v-tail, a pusherconfiguration, and mid wing design.It has four external hardpoints andcan be equipped with the AR-1/HJ-10anti-tank missiles.SpecificationsImagesIraq, October3, 2015. Imagevia: Iraqi NewsSyria, June30, 2016.Image via: @alnkba1121Iraq, Oct. 17, 2016. Image via: @DrPartizanWidth1.7 mWidth1.8 mLength1.1 mLength1.22 mWeight2.4 kgEmpty Weight1.1 kgEndurance.6 hrsMTOW5.3 kgPrice 116*Price 159*Source29Source32Iraq, June 6, 2016. Image via: Iraqi Air Force/FacbeookWingspan18 mLength9mMTOW1,330 kgEndurance38 hrsRange3,500 kmCeiling26,264 ft38Source6
IRANYasirMohajer-4DescriptionThe Oghab 1 is a portable smalltactical reconnaissance drone made byFarnas Pasargad. The Oghab is flownby the Badr Organization and/or Iran.The Yasir is a small tactical surveillance and reconnaissance unmannedaircraft system made by Iran AviationIndustries Organization. The Yasiris flown by Kata’ib Jund al-Imam,Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and/orSyria and Iran.43 44The Mohajer-4 is a tactical reconnaissance drone made by Qods AviationIndustries. The Mohajer is flown bySyrian government forces and/or Iran.The Mohajer may also by flown byIranian units in Iraq.In May 2015, the Badr Organization, aShi’a militia in Iraq, published imagesshowing what appears to be an Oghab1 drone.39 In December 2015, Syrianrebels reportedly shot down an Oghabover Aleppo.40A drone resembling the Yasir wasfilmed flying over Syria on November 9, 2013.45 On December 7, 2013,another video appeared showing aYasir that was reportedly shot down byrebels in Qalamoun, Syria.46Mohajer-4s have been seen in Syria ona regular basis since as early as February 2012, when a drone matching itsdescription was spotted flying over theDamascus suburb of Kafr Batna.50Farnas Pasagard is an Iranian aerospace company that specializes inunmanned aircraft. A drone matchingthe description of the Oghab wasspotted in Iran during the Iranian ArmyGround Forces Muharram exercise inOctober 2015.41The Yasir is believed to be a copy ofthe U.S. ScanEagle; it was unveiledby the Iranian Army Ground Forces inSeptember 2013, around ten monthsafter Iran announced that it had captured a ScanEagle drone.47 48The Mohajer series is the longest running family of Iranian drones, datingback to the mid-1980s.51 It was firstused in the Iran-Iraq War.52The Oghab has a high-mountedstraight-wing design, a T-tail, andpusher configuration. It has a payloadbay in the nose and fixed tricyclelanding gear.Like the ScanEagle, the Yasir has apayload bubble that sits below thenose and swept back wings. Unlike itsAmerican counterpart, the Yasir has atwin-boom empennage and invertedv-tail configuration.The Mohajer-4 has a rocket-assistedlaunch system and skid landing gears.The M4 has a twin-boom empennage,a push propeller, mid wings, and an angular box-shaped fuselage. Some mayhave winglets.SpecificationsImagesOghab 1SightingsImage credit: MEHRBackgroundImage credit: Amir Pourmand/ISNAFeaturesImage credit: Farnas PasargadIraq, May 20,2015. Imagevia: @greenlemonnnIraq, Dec. 22,2014. Imagevia: FRBIUSyria, Feb.25, 2012 Image via: TheAviationistSyria, Nov.29, 2015.Image via:@greenlemonnnSyria, Nov. 9,2013. Imagevia: UgaritNews -Syria/YouTubeIraq, Nov.11, 2014.Image via:@greenlemonnnWingspan5.3 m8 hrsMTOW175 kgRange200 kmEndurance3-5 hrsCeiling15,000 ftRange150 kmCeiling4,500 ftWingspan2mLength1.65 mEnduranceMTOW4.2 kgEndurance0.75 hrRange42Source25 km49Source53Source7
IRANImage credit: IRNAImage via: Fars NewsImage via: Uskowi on IranDescriptionThe Ababil-3 is a tactical reconnaissance and surveillance unmannedaircraft made by the Iran AircraftManufacturing Industrial Company.The Ababil-3 is likely flown by Syriangovernment forces and/or Iran, as wellas by Iranian forces in Iraq.54The Shahed-123 is a tactical unmannedaircraft system made by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company. The Shahed-123 is likely flown bySyrian government forces and/or Iran.The Shahed-129 is a medium-altitudelong-endurance surveillance and strikedrone made by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company. TheAbabil is likely flown by Iranian forcesin Syria.SightingsShahed-129Most sightings of the Ababil-3 havetaken place over Syria, althoughseveral have also crashed in Iraq. InMarch 2012, a video was released thatappeared to show an Ababil-3 takingoff from Hamah Airbase in Syria.55 InDecember 2015, an Ababil-3 crashednear Tikrit, Iraq.56A Shahed-123 was reportedly shotdown in Iraq’s Nineveh Governoratein February 2016.60 A drone that couldpotentially be an S123 was shot downby Turkish jets in May 2015 near theTurkish-Syria border.61The first Shahed-129 spotted in Syriawas filmed flying over the East Ghoutaneighborhood in Damascus in April2014.63 In February 2016, Iran releaseda video showing a Shahed-129 strikingtargets in northern Syria.64 It was thefirst known wartime drone strike byIran.65BackgroundShahed-123The Ababil-3 is thought to havebecome operational as early as 2008,when an Ababil-3 was spotted flyingover Sudan.57 In 2009, the U.S. militaryreported to have shot down an Iranian Ababil-3 drone north of Baghdad,Iraq.58The Shahed-123 is an older, smallervariant of the Shahed-129.The Shahed-129 is the most advancedof the Shahed line of unmannedaircraft and is believed to be the mostcapable drone in Iran’s arsenal. It wasunveiled in September 2012.66FeaturesAbabil-3The Ababil-3 bears a strong resemblance to the Mohajer-4, with characteristics like a slender fuselage andtwin-boom empennage. Two factorsthat distinguish the Ababil-3 from theMohajer are its fixed-tricycle landinggear and high wing configuration.Like the Shahed-129 it has a v-tailand push propeller configuration. TheS123 is smaller than the S129 and hasa more angular fuselage. As AdamRawnsley notes at Bellingcat, the S123has appeared equipped both with skidand wheeled landing gear.62The S129 has a v-tail and a long,narrow fuselage. The Shahed-129 isarmed with an anti-tank missile, likelythe Iranian-made Sadid-1 anti-tankmissile. Most images of the S129 showit carrying up to four of these missileson two hardpoints.SpecificationsImagesIraq, Oct.13, 2015.Image via:@greenlemonnnSyria, Mar.24, 2012. Image via: TheAviationistIraq, Feb.15, 2016.Image via:@CTstudiesSyria, Sept.2, 2016.Image via:@greenlemonnnSyria/Turkey, May16, 2015. Image via:@HussamAlMarieSyria, Apr.10, 2014.Image via:Oryx BlogWingspan5mWingspan10.5 mLength3.5Length6mSpeed200 km/hMTOW990 kgEndurance4 hrsEndurance24 hrsRange100 kmRange1,700 kmCeiling16,000 ftCeiling24,000 ftSource59Specifications not available.8Source67
ISRAELImage credit: WikimediaImage credit: WikimediaThe Skylark is a small fixed-wingreconnaissance drone made by ElbitSystems. It is not clear who is flyingthe Skylark in Syria and Iraq.The Forpost is a fixed-wing tacticaldrone made by Israel Aerospace Industries and assembled in Russia. TheForpost is flown by Russia.In December 2015, an ISIL mediaoutlet released a video that appearsto show a downed Skylark that wasdowned west of Mosul, Iraq.68 Reportsfrom February 2016 also suggestedthat a Skylark was found crashed inNinevah province, Iraq.69In February 2016, Syrian photographerAhmad Al Khayer spotted a Forpostflying over Syria.73 In July 2016, Russian photographer Alexei Kitaev took aphoto of a Forpost that was reportedlylocated at Hmeyim airbase in Latakia,Syria.74 In September 2016, satelliteimages appeared to show a Forpostdrone at Aleppo airport.75The Skylark is designed to be carriedby infantry and quickly assembled andlaunched for close-in surveillance andreconnaissance, artillery spotting, andperimeter security.70 Since it enteredservice with the Israel Defense Forcesin 2004, several countries includingCanada have purchased the Skylark.71The Israeli Searcher is one of theoldest drones still in service; it first became operational in 1992 and is operated by at least 10 different countries.76The Ural Factory of Civil Aviationin Yekaterinburg began producingForposts under license in 2012.77The Skylark features a nose-mountedtractor propeller and a payload podthat is attached below the propeller. Ithas a high-mounted wing placementand polyhedral wing design.The Forpost has a stand-up communications antenna and radome thatextends above the fuselage, as well asits twin-boom tail and sloped SightingsSkylarkSpecificationsImagesIraq, Feb.26, 2016.Image via:@CTstudiesSyria, Aug.22, 2016.Imagevia: @AbraxasSpaMTOW7.5 kgPayload1.2 kgEndurance3 hrsRange40 kmCeiling15,000 ftSource72Image available here.Wingspan8.55 mMTOW450 kgSpeed203 km/hEndurance18 hrsRange250 kmCeiling23,000 ftSource789
RUSSIAImage credit: WikimediaPchela-1TThe Orlan-10 is a small fixed-wing reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehiclemade by Special Technological Centerin St. Petersburg, Russia. It is flown byRussian forces in Syria.The Eleron 3SV is a small fixed-wingreconnaissance drone made by ENICS,a Russian manufacturer based in Tatarstan. It is Syrian government forcesand/or Russia.The Pchela-1T is a small reconnaissance and surveillance drone made theYakovlev Design Bureau. It is flownby Russian forces in Syria.SightingsIn October 2015, Turkey claimed tohave shot down a Russian drone thathad reportedly strayed over its borderwith Syria.79 The drone appeared to bean Orlan-10. In September 2016, Jaishal-Izzah rebels claimed to have shotdown an Orlan-10 near Hama, Syria.80In July 2015, Jabhat al-Nusra reportedly shot down an Eleron 3SV near Latakia, Syria.84 An Eleron 3SV apparentlybelonging to the Syrian army appearedin an image from November 2016.85An image from September 2015appeared to show a Pchela flying nearRussian manned fighters.89 Since then,there does not appear to have been anysighting of the Pchela.Production of the Orlan-10 beganin 2010.81 In February 2016, Russiaunveiled the newest variants of theOrlan—the Orlan-30 and -50—whichhave similar physical dimensions, butimproved performance specifications.82In mid-2013, Russian state mediareported that ENICS had delivered ashipment of the Elerons to the Russianmilitary.86 In 2015, the AssociatedPress reported that Russia woulddeploy the drones to monitor the KurilIslands near Japan.87The Pchela is intended for short-rangetactical reconnaissance. It is one ofRussia’s oldest drones. It was designedin the mid-1980s and used in the FirstChechen War.90The Orlan-10 is catapult-launchedand recovered by parachute. It features swappable payload modules. Ithas a high wing monoplane design, aconventional tailplane, and a tractorconfiguration.The Eleron has a blended wing designsimilar to China’s Skywalker X8. It israil-launched and has a pusher configuration.The Pchela has high-mounted wingsand a ducted fan pusher configuration.It also uses a booster rocket-assistedrail launch and parachute recoverysystem.Syria, Sept. 16,2016.Image via:YouTubeSyria, July20, 2015.Image via:@oryxspioenkopTurkey, Oct.16, 2015.Syria, Sept.16, 2016.Imagecourtesyof IvanSidorenkoSpecificationsImagesDescriptionEleron 3SVBackgroundOrlan 10Image credit: WikimediaFeaturesImage credit: WikimediaMTOW14 kgWingspan1.47 mPayload5 kgWeight5.5 kgSpeed150 km/hSpeed130 km/hEndurance16 hrsEndurance1.8 hrsCeiling16,000 ftCeiling16,400 ftSource83Source88Syria, Sept. 3, 2015.Image via: @Charles ListerMTOW138 kgSpeed180 km/hRange60 kmMax Op Altitude8,200 ftSource9110
RUSSIAImage credit: Alexey Ptero/YouTubeImage credit: WikimediaThe Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aircraftsystem made by Kale-Baykar. It isflown by Turkish Air Force.SightingsThe only known sighting is fromOctober 2016, when photos emergedshowing a Ptero-60 that reportedlycrashed in Syria’s Latakia province.92In August 2016, a Turkish militaryBayraktar reportedly took part in theTurkish-backed operation to retake theSyrian town of Jarablus.95 On August 25, 2016, a Bayraktar reportedlycrashed outside of Sanliurfa Airport insouthern Turkey.96The Ptero-G0 is designed for shortrange reconnaissance and mappingmissions. In April 2015, Russian mediareported that AFM Servers was planning to export the drone to countries inAsia.93The Bayraktar made its first flight in2009 and was delivered to the Turkishmilitary in 2014.97 98 The Bayraktar canbe armed with the UMTAS anti-tankmissile.The Ptero has shoulder-mounted wingsand a tractor propeller configuration. Itis launched using a pneumatic catapultand can be recovered by parachute.The Bayraktar has a twin-boomempennage with an inverted v-tail. Ithas a pusher propeller configuration,mid-mounted straight-wing mainplanes, and wheeled landing gear.Syria, Oct. 29 2016.Image via: @AbraxasSpaTurkey, Aug. 25 2016.Image via: @M3t4 tr0nSpecificationsImagesThe Ptero is a small reconnaissancedrone made by AFM Servers. It isflown by Russian forces in G0 UAVTURKEYWingspan12 mWeight5 kgLength6.5 mPayload2 kgMTOW650 kgRange800 kmPayload55 kgEndurance8 hrsMax Speed130 km/hEndurance24 hrsSource94Source9911
Image credit: AeroVironmentImage credit: Sgt. Hillary Rustine/U.S. ArmySwitchbladePumaRavenDescriptionThe Switchblade is a loitering munition made by AeroVironment. Itis operated by United States specialoperations forces.The RQ-20 Puma AE is a fixed-wingsmall tactical reconnaissance dronemade by AeroVironment. It is flown byUnited States special operations forcesand Kurdish Peshmerga.The RQ-11 Raven is a hand-launchedsmall tactical surveillance and reconnaissance drone made by AeroVironment. It is flown by the United Statesand Iraq.111SightingsOne of the first reports of Switchbladesin Syria was in October 2015, whena crashed drone matching the characteristics of a Switchblade was foundnear Daraa.100 Another Switchbladewas found near Syria’s Izraa city inNovember 2015.101In February 2016, the Islamic Stategroup claimed that it had downed aPuma drone near Al-Baghdadi, Iraq.105An August 2016 video released byISIL claimed that a crashed Pumadrone had been operated by the Kurdish Peshmerga.106An October 2016 video by the BBCshowed Kurdish forces shooting downa Raven drone during the Mosul offensive.112BackgroundThe Switchblade is meant to provide infantry with a precise stand-offmunition that is light enough to becarried in a backpack. On November10, 2016, the Obama administrationrequested 46.5 million in funding for535 Switchblades as part of a largerfunding package for counter-ISILoperations.102The Puma began its service in 2008when the U.S. Special OperationsCommand selected the system forthe All Environment Capable Variantprogram.107 The U.S. Army ordered thePuma in 2012.108 The Puma is designedto be used for both land and maritimemissions.109The Raven was designed as the successor to the AeroVironment FQM-151Pointer UAV.113 The Raven systemconducted its maiden flight in October2001.114 The Raven remains one ofthe most popular military unmannedaircraft ever produced and has beenexported widely.FeaturesUNITED STATESThe Switchblade is designed to fitinside a tube for transport. The fourwings unfold when launched. The warhead is equivalent to a 40mm grenade.It has twin vertical stabilizers.103The Puma system has a polyhedralwing design in which the end twothirds of each wing extend upward ata slightly higher angle than the firstthird. It has a tractor propeller configuration and conventional tailplane.The Raven has a tubular tail boom andpusher configuration. Like the Puma,the Raven has a high-wing placementand polyhedral wing design.Image credit: WikimediaImagesIraq, April 6,2016. Imagevia: @trbtcImage available here.SpecificationsSyria, Nov. 3, 2015.Image via: @greenlemonnnIraq, Aug. 10,2016. Imagevia:@JakeGodinSyria, Oct. 12, 2015.Image via: @TerrorMonitorWingspan1.4 mSpeed157 km/hLength0.9 mEndurance10 minSpeed81 km/hRange10 kmEndurance1.5 hrsOp Altitude500 ftRange10 kmOp Altitude500 ftSource104Source110Wingspan2.8 mLength1.4 mMTOW6.3 kgSpeed83 km/hEndurance3 hrsSource11512
UNITED STATESScanEagleAerosonde MK 4.7DescriptionDesert Hawk IIIThe Desert Hawk III is a fixed-wingsmall tactical reconnaissance dronemade by Lockheed Martin. It is flownby the United Kingdom.SightingsImage credit: WikimediaIn December 2014, a drone matchingthe description of a Desert Hawk wasreportedly shot down in Iraq’s DiyalaGovernorate.116 A second apparentsighting of the Desert Hawk took placein June 2015 in Iraq.117BackgroundImage credit: WikimediaThe Desert Hawk made its first flightin 2003 and was initially deployedwith the USAF to Afghanistan.118Lockheed Martin delivered the DesertHawk to the British Army in 2007for use in Iraq to replace the Phoenixsystem.119FeaturesImage credit: U.K. Ministry of DefenceThe Desert Hawk has tractor propellerconfiguration, teardrop-shapedfuselage, high-wing design, andsingle vertical tailfin. An opticspayload can be found at the aircraft’scenter of mass. The Desert Hawk ishand-launched and is recovered by askid landing.The ScanEagle is a small tacticalreconnaissance drone made by BoeingInsitu. It is flown by the United Statesand Iraq.The Aerosonde MK 4.7 is asmall surveillance drone made byAerosonde, a division of TextronSystems. It is flown by U.S. specialoperations forces.A video released by the Islamic Stategroup in November 2016 appearedto show a ScanEagle that came downnear Mosul, Iraq.121In March 2015, IHS Jane’s reportedthat SOCOM was flying Aerosondedrones out of a base in Lebanon foroperations over Syria.125 In February2016, a drone matching the descriptionof an Aerosonde was downed in nearDamascus, Syria.126The ScanEagle was deployed for thefirst time in 2004, when it was sentwith U.S. Marine Corps to Iraq.122In August 2016, the Department ofDefense announced an 8.3 millioncontract for ScanEagles for Iraq, a salethat was three years in the making.123The ScanEagle has swept-back wings,winglets, a pusher configuration,and a cylindrical fuselage. It carriesa transparent sensor bubble beneaththe nose that can be fitted withswapable payloads. The ScanEalge israil-launched and recovered with theSkyHook system.Like the RQ-7 Shadow, the Aerosondehas a twin-boom empennage and aninverted V-shaped tail. The fuselageof the Aerosonde is more rounded andless angular than the RQ-7 Shadow. Itemploys a net recovery system.Iraq, Nov. 4, 2016.Syria, Feb. 1, 2016.Image via: @CTstudiesImagesIraq, Dec. 27,2014. Image via:@green lemonnnIraq, June 15,2015. Image via:@green lemonnnSpecificationsIn March 2012, the U.S. SpecialOperations Command chose theAerosonde for the Mid-EnduranceUAS II program.127Wingspan1.5 mWingspan3.11 mWingspan3.6 mWeight3.72 kgLength1.71 mMTOW36.4 kgEndurance1.5 hrsMTOW22 kgPayload9.1
Turkey’s Bayraktar tactical surveillance and strike drone to the DJI Phantom, a popular hobby drone. For each of the systems featured in this guide, we provide a short background, key system features and specications, and reported users. Each platform prole is also accompanied by a
