Profile
- Type
- Fixed-wing reconnaissance UAV
- Conflict side
- Houthi-aligned forces
- Origin
- China
- Service note
- 2010s Yemen Civil War service
Aircraft & UAVs
Rased UAV
Rased UAV is the Houthi designation for a Skywalker X-8 commercial fixed-wing drone adapted for short-range reconnaissance in the Yemen Civil War. Open-source reporting describes it as a low-cost, commercially available airframe used by Houthi fighters for battlefield surveillance rather than a purpose-built military UAV.
- Conflict side
- Houthi-aligned forces
- Built by
- Skywalker
- Built in
- China
Service History
- In service
- Used in Yemen by Houthi-aligned forces as a short-range reconnaissance and surveillance drone.
- Used by
- Houthi forces
- Wars
- Yemen Civil War
Production History
Specifications
- Length
- About 1 m
- Wingspan
- About 2.2 m
- Endurance
- Up to 120 minutes
- Range
- Up to 35 km
- Airframe
- EPO foam reinforced with carbon sheets and tubes
- Launch and recovery
- Catapult launch and landing
Conflict Usage
- Yemen Civil War
- Side: Houthi-aligned forcesRole: Reconnaissance UAV
Houthi-aligned forces used Rased UAV for battlefield surveillance and short-range reconnaissance in the Yemen Civil War.
Rased UAV Images
Related Weapon Systems
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Hudhud-1 UAVReconnaissance UAVThe Hudhud-1 UAV is a Yemeni-made short-range reconnaissance drone that emerged during the Yemen Civil War and was documented in Houthi service as a compact battlefield surveillance platform.
MQ-9 ReaperMedium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicleThe MQ-9 Reaper is a General Atomics medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft built for persistent intelligence collection and precision strike. Larger and more powerful than the MQ-1 Predator, it combines satellite control, electro-optical and infrared sensors, laser designation, and weapons such as Hellfire missiles and guided bombs, making it a recurring U.S. and coalition platform in counterterrorism, maritime-security, and regional-strike operations.
RQ-11 Raven UAVSmall unmanned aircraft systemThe RQ-11 Raven is a hand-launched small unmanned aircraft system built by AeroVironment for short-range ISR. In the Yemen Civil War, Oryx lists it in Houthi-aligned inventory as 'Raqeep' inherited from pre-war Yemeni Army stocks.
Samad-1 UAVReconnaissance UAVThe Samad-1 is the reconnaissance variant of the Houthi Samad UAV family, documented in UN and technical reporting during the Yemen Civil War.
Samad-2 UAVReconnaissance and loitering munition UAVThe Samad-2 is the Houthi Samad family’s longer-range UAV-X variant, documented in Yemen Civil War reporting as a reconnaissance-or-attack drone with an explosive payload and V-tail pusher configuration. Open-source assessments disagree on whether the system is indigenous or Iranian-linked, but the variant is consistently tied to Houthi long-range drone operations against coalition targets.Sources
Skywalker X8 2120mm UAV Fixed Wing DronePublisher: UAVMODEL | Note: Supports the Skywalker X-8 product identity and published technical data for the commercial airframe underlying Rased UAV. Also supports image provenance for the product photos used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-06-20The Missile War in YemenPublisher: CSIS Missile Defense Project | Note: Direct conflict-use source for Yemen Civil War: Houthi fighters used Rased UAV for battlefield surveillance, and the report identifies it as a commercially available Skywalker X-8 drone. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Violent SkiesPublisher: PAX | Note: Direct conflict-use source for Yemen Civil War: Houthi rebels used rebranded Rased models in Yemen mainly for ISR and reconnaissance missions. | Accessed: 2026-06-20