The face of modern warfare is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by rapid technological advancements that are reshaping traditional military doctrines. The most impactful developments include the emergence of drones as disposable munitions, a shift that has seen unmanned systems evolve far beyond their conventional roles in surveillance and reconnaissance.
Today, drones are being repurposed and specifically engineered for offensive operations, notably as loitering munitions, kamikaze FPVs (First-Person View drones), and autonomous strike UAVs. This tactical adaptation has become a defining feature of recent international conflicts, where both state and non-state actors have leveraged drones as strategic equalisers, delivering precision strikes, real-time intelligence, and cost-effective lethality with minimal risk to operators. As this trend accelerates, it is not only influencing battlefield outcomes but also driving a fundamental shift in military doctrines across the globe.
Understanding Disposable Drones and Loitering Munitions
Disposable drones refer to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that are not intended for recovery post-deployment. These drones are designed to be expendable, intentionally built for one-time use, after completing their assigned mission. Unlike reusable drones that return to base after surveillance or strike missions, disposable drones typically self-destruct, are destroyed upon impact, or are otherwise rendered inoperable once they have fulfilled their tactical purpose. Made for one-time use, their cost is often kept low.
These systems are configured to carry specific payloads ranging from high-explosive warheads and anti-tank shaped charges to electronic jammers or surveillance equipment. Due to their low-cost construction and mission-specific design, they can be deployed in high-risk environments without significant strategic loss, making them particularly suitable for modern, fast-paced, and asymmetrical warfare scenarios.
A subset of this category is loitering munitions, also known as suicide or kamikaze drones. These are specially engineered drones that combine the capabilities of unmanned surveillance aircraft and precision-guided munitions. Loitering munitions are designed to hover over an area of interest for extended periods, using onboard sensors or remote operator guidance to search targets.
Once a high-value target is identified, such as enemy vehicles, radar systems, or personnel concentrations, the drone can be directed to dive towards the target and detonate its payload upon impact. Unlike traditional guided missiles, which must be launched with predetermined coordinates, loitering munitions provide real-time situational awareness, decision-making flexibility, and target discrimination. This makes them an ideal choice for dynamic battlefield conditions where targets are mobile, intermittent, or concealed.
Furthermore, loitering munitions often include features such as electro-optical cameras, infrared sensors, and encrypted communication links, to allow remote operators to assess the battlefield in real-time. This ensures more accurate targeting and minimises collateral damage compared to conventional artillery or airstrikes.
In essence, disposable drones and loitering munitions represent a hybrid evolution of unmanned systems and precision-guided weapons, merging the intelligence-gathering capability of UAVs with the lethality of modern munitions. Their increasing adoption across global conflict zones highlights their strategic value in 21st-century warfare.
First-Person View (FPV) Drones: The New Kamikaze
Originally developed for racing and commercial videography, First-Person View (FPV) drones have undergone a radical transformation on the battlefield. These drones are now being weaponised, offering frontline units a potent, low-cost alternative to traditional guided munitions. Operated in real-time through goggles or display screens that stream a live feed from an onboard camera, FPV drones allow pilots to precisely guide their aircraft through complex terrains and directly into enemy targets. When outfitted with warheads, these drones become highly manoeuvrable kamikaze units capable of flying through narrow openings, such as windows, bunkers, or trenches, and striking small or moving targets with remarkable accuracy.
The appeal of FPV drones lies in their simplicity, affordability, and flexibility. Assembled from commercially available components, they are not only easy to produce but also highly customisable. Payloads can range from anti-personnel explosives to shaped charges designed to penetrate light armour. Recent innovations include modular warheads, allowing units to swap between explosive, incendiary, or even electromagnetic payloads depending on operational requirements.
Disposable drones refer to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that are not intended for recovery post-deployment. They typically self-destruct, are destroyed upon impact, or are otherwise rendered inoperable once they have fulfilled their tactical purpose. Made for one-time use, their cost is often kept low
Several technology trends are further accelerating the evolution of FPV kamikaze drones. First, artificial intelligence is being integrated to enable semi-autonomous targeting, allowing drones to identify and strike targets with minimal human intervention. This reduces operator fatigue and improves reaction time in high-pressure combat environments. Second, swarm capabilities are being developed, enabling coordinated attacks from multiple drones simultaneously. Such swarms are designed to confuse enemy radar and air defence systems, ensuring a higher success rate in penetrating defences.
Third, stealth and signature management have become focal points for R&D, with engineers working on materials and designs that reduce drones’ radar and thermal signatures, making them harder to detect and intercept. Fourth, advancements in guidance systems are allowing drones to bypass GPS jamming through technologies like visual odometry, optical flow, and even celestial navigation. Finally, the push for modularity and field adaptability has led to the development of drones that can be quickly assembled using 3D-printed parts and standardized payload modules. This not only accelerates deployment but also decentralises the production process, making it more resilient against supply chain disruptions.
Together, these innovations signal a new era of drone warfare, where agility, affordability, and adaptability redefine what it means to strike with precision.
Global Use of Drones as Munitions
Modern warfare is undergoing a dramatic transformation, and perhaps the most disruptive innovation in recent years has been the adaptation of commercial First-Person View (FPV) drones into lethal airborne munitions. What were once affordable hobbyist platforms are now playing decisive roles on the battlefield. Their widespread and varied deployment across conflict zones, from the rugged terrain of Nagorno-Karabakh to the vast trench networks of eastern Ukraine, signals a defining shift in combat strategy. Drones are no longer limited to reconnaissance; they have evolved into low-cost, high-precision, one-way offensive weapons, redefining the nature of frontline engagements.
This evolution first drew global attention during the 2020 conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan pioneered a drone-first approach, employing Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 strike drones and Israeli-produced Harop loitering munitions in tandem. These systems reshaped the dynamics of the battlefield. The Bayraktar TB2s, equipped with precision MAM-L munitions, systematically targeted Armenian armor, artillery, and logistics convoys. In parallel, the Harop drones, capable of loitering for extended durations, identified and struck key military installations, including air defence systems and command nodes. The Harop’s ability to autonomously detect, track, and destroy targets once acquired introduced a new frontier in autonomous warfare. The combination of persistent surveillance and precision strikes allowed Azerbaijan to gain battlefield dominance without conventional force superiority, highlighting the diminishing relevance of traditional combined-arms doctrine when confronted by an agile and drone-centric strategy.
These systems can carry specific payloads ranging from high-explosive warheads and anti-tank shaped charges to electronic jammers or surveillance equipment. They can be deployed in high-risk environments without significant strategic loss, making them suitable for modern warfare scenarios
The shift towards drone munitions has accelerated further in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, now widely considered the most dynamic laboratory for drone warfare on Earth. Here, Ukraine has developed and deployed thousands of FPV kamikaze drones, assembled using commercial off-the-shelf parts, 3D-printed frames, and improvised warheads. These drones are not only inexpensive but also highly adaptable, making them ideal tools for decentralized production and rapid deployment. Ukrainian troops use them to target Russian trenches, bunkers, tanks, and even moving convoys with stunning accuracy. What was once a niche capability has become a mainstream method of attack. Units like Ukraine’s ‘Army of Drones’ have systematically refined these tools, incorporating features such as thermal optics, enhanced autopilot systems, and real-time video relays to improve targeting precision and operational success.
In response, Russian forces have fielded the Lancet series of loitering munitions, with the Lancet-3 standing out as a particularly formidable system. Carrying a warhead of approximately three kilograms and equipped with a sophisticated targeting system, it has been used extensively to strike Ukrainian radar systems, artillery positions, and high-value mobile assets such as HIMARS launchers. The back-and-forth drone skirmishes between both sides have led to an unprecedented arms race in tactical drone innovation.
One of the more recent and striking innovations on the Ukrainian side has been the introduction of Optical Fiber-Controlled (OFC) FPV drones. These drones are tethered directly to their operators via fiber-optic cables, allowing uninterrupted control without reliance on radio frequencies, which are vulnerable to electronic jamming. This makes OFC drones exceptionally effective in electronic warfare/heavy environments. Their stable connectivity, even in underground or heavily obstructed zones, has allowed for successful deployments in bunker raids, tunnel scouting, and close-quarters strikes, areas where traditional drones would be rendered ineffective by signal interference.
In the urban warfare domain, drone tactics have found another testing ground in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. During the escalations in 2023 and 2024, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) began using quadcopters and hexacopters outfitted as kamikaze drones for pinpoint elimination missions in Gaza’s dense urban environments. These missions, often guided by a fusion of real-time signals intelligence and visual feeds, have been used to target high-value individuals, pre-emptively strike VBIEDs, and destroy concealed tunnel entrances. The drones’ small payloads and precise control systems enable operations with reduced collateral damage, making them ideal for urban counterinsurgency.
Hamas, in turn, has leveraged commercial drones for its asymmetric warfare. These drones are often launched from concealed positions, including civilian rooftops, to evade early detection. Their primary targets have included IDF patrols, surveillance towers, and logistical convoys. This use of drones by a non-state actor to counterbalance the conventional superiority of a national military further underscores the growing strategic value of unmanned aerial platforms. Meanwhile, the IDF continues to refine its use of drone swarms, autonomous groups of drones that coordinate both ISR and kinetic actions to saturate and overwhelm enemy defences. These swarm tactics, deployed within seconds, demonstrate a new dimension of warfare where AI-driven coordination amplifies the lethality and responsiveness of unmanned systems.
One of the most emblematic examples of tactical drone integration comes from Ukraine’s so-called Operation Web Spider. Though not fully detailed in official channels, Web Spider has become synonymous with the Ukrainian military’s innovative use of FPV and microdrones in real-time urban combat. In these operations, elite units launch custom-built microcopters equipped with near-infrared cameras and FPV systems to scout the interiors of buildings, stairwells, and tunnels during assaults in cities like Bakhmut and Severodonetsk. The drones relay live video feeds to operators wearing FPV headsets, allowing them to navigate confined or partially collapsed structures without risking exposure.
Once a high-value target is identified, a disposable drone can be directed to dive towards the target and detonate its payload upon impact. It provides real-time situational awareness, which makes it ideal for dynamic battlefield conditions where targets are mobile, intermittent, or concealed
What distinguishes Web Spider operations is not merely drone use, but their full integration into the tactical decision-making loop. Drones scout, identify threats using AI-assisted software for object and facial recognition, and even cue follow-on strikes from kamikaze drones or breaching teams. Operators act on intelligence within seconds, creating a seamless cycle of reconnaissance and engagement. This fusion of ISR and direct-action capabilities has resulted in higher mission success rates, fewer casualties, and a reimagined role for infantry in urban warfare. Drones are no longer adjuncts to combat; they are active teammates, redefining how battles are fought and won.
Advantage for Indian Defence
India’s strategic landscape is increasingly defined by complex threats along both its western and eastern borders. The recent Pahalgam terror attack, followed by Operation Sindoor and a spike in cross-border activities, underscore the urgent need for evolving India’s defence capabilities, particularly in adopting drones as munitions. These unmanned systems, already redefining modern conflict zones, can provide India with both tactical agility and strategic depth in dealing with asymmetric warfare and state-sponsored terrorism.
Drone munitions, ranging from loitering munitions and FPV (First-Person View) kamikaze drones to fiber-optic controlled systems, offer a game-changing advantage. In counterterrorism operations, such as those conducted in Kashmir’s dense forests or urbanised conflict zones, drones can carry out precision strikes with minimal risk to personnel. Thermal-equipped kamikaze drones, for instance, can target militants hiding in bunkers or caves, eliminating threats before ground forces even engage. In operations like Sindoor, they could be deployed for overwatch, eliminating threats in real-time and ensuring troops advance safely through complex terrain.
The porous and challenging terrain along the Line of Control (LoC) also presents consistent infiltration threats. Here, loitering drones can serve as persistent watchers and autonomous strike platforms along known routes used by terrorists. Unlike conventional patrols, these drones can linger for hours, respond instantly, and neutralise moving targets based on real-time surveillance or radar cues. Moreover, fiber-optic-controlled drones can be used in electronically contested zones, bypassing jamming efforts and allowing stable control in underground or tunnel-based operations.
India is investing heavily in its indigenous ecosystem through DRDO, iDEX, and private defence tech startups. Developing a full spectrum of disposable drones, from sub-kilo tactical assets to long-range loitering munitions, will enable India to fight tomorrow’s wars with speed, stealth, and efficiency
From a strategic standpoint, drones allow India to conduct surgical and retaliatory strikes across the border without the risks associated with air force missions or artillery duels. These systems provide both deniability and precision, which is critical when operating in a nuclearised neighbourhood. Similarly, in urban warfare, where collateral damage is a constant concern, micro or FPV drones can deliver pinpoint strikes, such as eliminating VBIEDs (Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices) or neutralising threats embedded in civilian areas.
Crucially, India is avoiding dependency on foreign drone technology by investing heavily in its indigenous ecosystem through DRDO, iDEX, and private defence tech startups. Developing a full spectrum of disposable, modular drones, from sub-kilo tactical assets to long-range loitering munitions, will enable India to fight the wars of tomorrow with the speed, stealth, and efficiency they demand.
Road ahead
The next generation of military conflict will be defined by speed, adaptability, and asymmetry, domains where disposable drones excel. With rapid advancements in AI, guidance systems, and payload design, these drones are no longer just surveillance tools but have become integral to modern arsenals. Drones, particularly loitering munitions and FPV kamikaze units, have proven cost-effective, precise, and highly lethal. Their convergence of affordability, adaptability, and lethality is fundamentally reshaping military doctrines. However, as these platforms become primary tools of warfare, they bring ethical and strategic challenges that must be addressed. The line between reconnaissance and offensive capability is blurring, and with it comes the responsibility to wield this technology with sound strategy and restraint. The age of smart, disposable munitions has arrived; how nations use them will define future conflicts.
–The writer is an SME and independent consultant in military technology. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
