Since armed UAVs first appeared in the battlefield in Myanmar in late 2021, the phenomenon has intensified considerably, especially in April 2022. The use of armed UAVs is unquestionably increasing, and while the technology was initially limited to just a few groups on several combat fronts in the country, today, armed UAVs are being documented on an almost daily basis by an increasing number of armed militia groups, documented mainly in Sagaing Region, in the northwest of Myanmar. The development of new models of improvised ammunition also continues – with a number of fixed models used by certain groups that have been upgraded and standardized over time, alongside the use of standard ammunition modified for use with armed UAVs. Concurrently, compatible payload dispensers, both commercial and improvised, are being documented in a variety of designs. To date, most of the platforms used by the armed militias have been based on small commercial quadcopters, each carrying a single bomblet. With the exception of one militia that uses larger platforms, most groups are still limited in terms of the explosive payload they can carry and drop. Given the incredibly rapid pace of technology development in the country, we estimate that despite current limitations on imports into the field, the armed militias will be capable of overcoming this hurdle, as evidenced in other battlefields around the world, and will increase the scope and volume of their use of this technology in the coming months.
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