ISIS has added modified commercial drones to its arsenal, which have the ability to drop grenade-sized explosives remotely. The drones, according to Kurdish media network Rudaw, have already killed civilians and damaged equipment.
Images of the commercially modified drones have been uploaded on Instagram.
#ISIS drone modified to drop small explosives like rifle grenades.
A photo posted by Mitch Utterback (@mitchell.utterback) on
Whilst the drones are evidently having a deadly impact in the war zone, there does already exist anti-aircraft weaponry capable of jamming them and sending the drones hurtling to the ground. One such example, reported by Popular Science, is the "Battelle Drone Defender" - an anti-drone rifle designed with that exact purpose.
Commercial drones have been used by both Iraqi forces and ISIS for their effective surveillance capabilities, and the Iraqi forces are developing strategies to take down these aircraft, by working with a US Army Task Force. Brett Sylvia, Task Force Strike Commander in Iraq, reported that by working with the Iraqi forces, they have "brought down at least a dozen" of the armed drones.
Source: Rudaw via Engadget | Image of unmanned explosive drones via Instagram