As the importance of drones grows in modern warfare, the military is accelerating the development of a Korean-style drone system. Drones that handle the military's main operations are currently made in Israel or the United States.

According to materials obtained by Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party from the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the ADD's development of a video-based small loitering munition with multiple launch capability has entered the final stage. It mounts an imaging sensor on an already developed small drone and takes off from a launcher that uses a multiple-rocket system. It is expected to be suitable for launching multiple drones sequentially.

In late February at BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1 in Haeundae District, Busan, visitors inspect a small suicide drone displayed at the Korean Air booth during DSK 2025 (Drone Show Korea). /Courtesy of News1

A medium loitering munition is also under development. As a step up from the small drone, it adds satellite linking to video-based technology and multiple-launch methods, removing limits on the control radius. With a warhead of 20 kilograms or more planned, it is expected to deliver greater firepower than small drones. The development period runs until Sep. next year, with about 50 billion won to be invested.

Air-launched technology for small drones is also under study. A mothership carrying a small drone is launched, and the drone is separated in the air. The military plans to operate this drone together with drones launched from ground-based multiple-rocket launchers. It is also developing a system in which detection radars track enemy drones from medium range and, when they close within a certain distance, dispatch an interceptor drone.

Artificial intelligence (AI)–based swarm drone control technology is also being developed under the lead of the ADD. Multiple drones acquire various target data and autonomously revise plans according to changes in targets. The technology also includes AI automatically controlling drones.

A Global Hawk deployed for NASA's ATTREX mission, which observes stratospheric water vapor over the tropics. /Courtesy of NASA

The military plans to develop its own drone technology to reduce dependence on foreign systems. Among the reconnaissance and loitering drones currently operated by the military, most models used at medium and high altitudes are foreign-made. The Global Hawk operated by the Air Force is made by Northrop Grumman of the United States. The Global Hawk, equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and electro-optical/infrared sensors, can identify ground objects smaller than 1 meter from an altitude of 18.3 kilometers.

The military has also introduced the Harpy loitering munition. The Harpy drone, made by Israel's IAI, was developed to intercept air defense networks such as enemy surface-to-air missiles or radars. The warhead weighs 32 kilograms. It can fly for about four hours and strike targets 500 kilometers away, earning it an assessment as being effectively close to a cruise missile. It is known to be capable of striking areas along the Demilitarized Zone with North Korea.

A prototype medium-altitude unmanned reconnaissance vehicle (MUAV). /Courtesy of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration

The Army operates the Heron reconnaissance drone. The Heron was also developed by IAI. It was introduced for reconnaissance of the northwestern islands and the greater Seoul area. It operates at an altitude of about 9 to 10 kilometers and collects information. An industry official said, "Foreign-made weapons are difficult to operate, including repairs, so domestically made drones are needed."

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