In what appears to a classic example regarding the effectiveness of drone technology in modern warfare, ISIS used a small quad-copter drone to drop mines inside a stadium in Syria.
The drone which is reported to have cost around $500 was used by the extremists to fly over the Deir ez-Zor stadium in the country and drop a mine right inside it, leading to damage far greater than the entire cost of the operation.
According to a video provided by a local news hub, the camera on the quad-copter drone showcases how it maneuvers right on top of the stadium before unleashing the land mine, causing one section of the stadium to be on flames.
Locals standing a few miles away from the stadium could be seen recording the event in which a huge cloud of smoke was rising high up in the sky. The event was reported in 2017.
“Let’s go back to an illustrative example, that sometimes the ingenuity of the enemy, who is equipped with the worst weapons against you, can inflict damage on you, many times higher than the cost of carrying out an attack. A striking example of this is the attack from a quadcopter on the Deir ez-Zor stadium.” said local news outlet, ANNA News, while reporting on it.
The region has not been unfamiliar with violence and acts of militancy over the recent course of history. However, the use of drones is likely to increase the damage in the war-hit nation. A military analyst writes,
“Judging by how drones are successfully used in armed conflicts, destroying air defense positions, fortifications, etc., this direction will actively develop, and in the near future the conflicts will probably be conducted remotely until one of the parties is completely exhausted,”
Russia is less actively developing the means of unmanned aircraft, however, with the appearance of the same Orion and Okhotnik, the situation may change dramatically, although today kamikaze drones have shown much greater efficiency.”
