Aircraft & UAVs

South Korean unnamed reconnaissance, attack, and long-range explosive drones

South Korean unnamed reconnaissance, attack, and long-range explosive drones are a South Korean military UAV family and force-development program built around reconnaissance, strike, and loitering or expendable drone roles. Public reporting in June 2026 described a major expansion plan that included training 500,000 drone warriors, fielding commercial drones at scale, and adding low-cost combat and long-range explosive drones to Korea's arsenal.

Various ConflictsUnspecified

South Korean unnamed reconnaissance, attack, and long-range explosive drones, Unmanned aerial vehicle family, Aircraft & UAVs

Image source: Korea Aerospace Industries RQ-101 Songgolmae UAV file page

Profile

Origin: South Korea
Built by: Not publicly identified
Type: Unmanned aerial vehicle family
Service note: 2020s South Korean drone expansion and training program
Produced: 2026-2030 planned expansion

Also Known As

South Korean drone warriors
South Korean drone program

UAV reconnaissance strike deep strike

Specifications

Role: Reconnaissance, attack, and long-range explosive UAV family
Training scale: 500,000 drone warriors
Planned procurement: 11,000 commercial drones by end-2026; 60,000 by 2029; 20,000 low-cost combat drones by 2030
Long-range explosive example: K-Lucas loitering munition

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: Expanded as part of South Korea's 2026 drone force-building and training program.
Used by: Republic of Korea Armed Forces

Conflict Usage

Side: Unspecified
Role: Reconnaissance, attack, and long-range explosive UAV operations

South Korea's 2026 drone expansion plan paired mass operator training with commercial drones, low-cost combat drones, and long-range explosive drones such as K-Lucas.

Timeline

South Korean unnamed reconnaissance, attack, and long-range explosive drones Key Events

Jun 26, 2026
South Korea expands drone force-building
Public reporting described a plan to train 500,000 drone warriors and to field commercial drones, low-cost combat drones, and long-range explosive drones as part of a broader military modernization push.

Documented Service Context

Program element	Publicly described detail
Training scale	500,000 drone warriors
Near-term procurement	11,000 commercial drones by end-2026
Mid-term procurement	60,000 drones by 2029
Low-cost combat drones	20,000 planned by 2030
Long-range explosive drone example	K-Lucas loitering munition

Related Weapon Systems

Aeronautics Orbiter 1K, Class 1 loitering munition UAS, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 1KClass 1 loitering munition UASThe Aeronautics Orbiter 1K is an Israeli electric loitering munition derived from the Orbiter mini-UAS family, combining EO/IR surveillance with a fragmentation warhead for attacks on soft targets. Azerbaijan fielded Orbiter 1K systems alongside other Israeli and Turkish unmanned weapons during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

An-2 unmanned decoy / converted UCAV, Converted unmanned decoy aircraft / improvised UCAV, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsAn-2 unmanned decoy / converted UCAVConverted unmanned decoy aircraft / improvised UCAVThe An-2 unmanned decoy / converted UCAV was an improvised Azerbaijani adaptation of the Soviet Antonov An-2 utility biplane. In the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Azerbaijani forces used converted An-2s as expendable unmanned aircraft to enter Armenian air-defense engagement zones, draw fire, and help reveal targets for other UAVs and loitering munitions, with some reporting that crashed examples carried explosive payloads.

Armed commercial quadcopter drone, Weaponized commercial quadcopter UAV, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsArmed commercial quadcopter droneWeaponized commercial quadcopter UAVArmed commercial quadcopter drones are civilian four-rotor UAVs adapted by militants to carry improvised explosive payloads, while retaining their original value for surveillance, target observation, and propaganda recording. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, open-source reporting links ISWAP and Boko Haram-linked forces to armed quadcopter attacks against Nigerian military positions in Borno and Yobe, reflecting a shift from observation drones toward direct low-cost strike use.

Armed UAV, Armed unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsArmed UAVArmed unmanned aerial vehicleArmed UAVs are military drones configured to carry guided weapons while still performing surveillance and target-acquisition duties. In the Tigray War, investigative reporting tied Ethiopian government drone strikes to the campaign, making armed UAVs a major part of the conflict's air war even when the underlying airframes varied by supplier.

Asisguard Songar, Armed multirotor unmanned combat aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsAsisguard SongarArmed multirotor unmanned combat aerial vehicleThe Asisguard Songar is a Turkish armed multirotor UAV built around a ground-control station, real-time video feed, autonomous or manual flight modes, and modular payloads such as a 5.56 mm rifle, 2 x 40 mm grenade launcher, 6x40 mm drum type grenade launcher, 3 x 81 mm mortar gripper, or 8 x tear/smoke grenade launcher. Asisguard's product pages present the 6x40 mm and tear/smoke variants as separate payload options within the Songar family. In the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict, Indian officials said preliminary forensic examination of downed drone debris indicated Turkish Songar systems among a large Pakistani drone intrusion wave.

Autel weaponized quadcopter, Commercial quadcopter drone, Aircraft & UAVs

Aircraft & UAVsAutel weaponized quadcopterCommercial quadcopter droneAutel weaponized quadcopter covers the EVO-series commercial quadcopters that Israeli ground troops in Gaza adapted for grenade drops and close-in reconnaissance during the Israel-Hamas War. Its low cost, long endurance, and simple payload attachment made it a field-expedient strike drone rather than a purpose-built military UAV.

Related News

Sources

South Korea trains drone warriors as North Korea tests weaponsPublisher: Al Jazeera | Note: Supports the Various Conflicts holding-bucket conflictUsage for South Korea's 2026 drone force-building program. | Accessed: 2026-06-26 South Korea to train 500,000 drone warriors to counter North KoreaPublisher: The Guardian | Note: Supports the 500,000-drone-warrior training plan and the wider drone expansion program. | Accessed: 2026-06-26 South Korea says to train 500,000 drone warriors to counter North KoreaPublisher: The Standard | Note: Supports the reported training scale and South Korea's drone force-development announcement. | Accessed: 2026-06-26 Korea Aerospace Industries RQ-101 Songgolmae UAV file pagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a representative South Korean reconnaissance UAV photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-26