How are drone attacks carried out?

The Indian Armed Forces launched a strike at the terror hideouts deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under ‘Operation Sindoor’ on Wednesday morning in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh informed that a total of nine terror sites were targeted and successfully destroyed. She asserted that the locations were selected so that there was no damage to civilians and their infrastructure. Pakistan acknowledged the strikes and their impact. However, Pakistan started spreading claims that they had shot down five Indian fighter jets.

Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8 and an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

How are drone attacks executed?

Drone attacks are executed using a variety of tactics and technologies. These range from small, commercially available drones to sophisticated military-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The methods can be categorised based on the type of drone, the intended target and the operational strategy.

Methods of Drone Attacks

Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition

A reconnaissance UAV is first used to detect and identify a target. The operator then gets coordinates or live video feed, who then launches an attack drone-often a First Person View (FPV) drone-to destroy the target. This is the most common method in modern combat scenarios.

Direct Strike (FPV or Kamikaze Drones)

FPV drones, often loaded with explosives, are piloted directly into enemy positions or vehicles. These drones can either be used independently to strike pre-identified targets or as part of a coordinated attack.

Swarm Attacks

Multiple drones are launched simultaneously in a "swarm" to confuse defences. Swarm attacks can saturate air defense systems and increase the probability of hitting the intended target.

Bomb Dropping

Some drones are equipped to drop small bombs or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) onto enemy positions, vehicles, or personnel. This can be done by both fixed-wing and rotary drones.

Ambush and Surprise Attacks

Drones can be hidden near likely enemy routes or gathering points, remaining inactive until an opportune moment to launch a surprise attack.

Combined Arms with Drones

Drone strikes are coordinated with artillery, mortar fire or ground assaults. Drones provide real-time targeting data and can adjust fire for greater accuracy.

Specialised Attacks

Some drones are used to deploy mines, incendiary devices, or even toxic substances. Others are designed to breach fortified positions with sequential charges.