Drone Threats Abroad

Date Published: September 18, 2025

Summary

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), or drone technology are becoming ubiquitous across the world. Rapid advancements have made these systems portable, lightweight, and multifaceted, allowing for numerous business and personal functions. However, the portable and user-friendly nature of drones have made UAS systems available for use as reconnaissance and weapons platforms, and many government and private-sector organizations are struggling to combat a rise in drone threats. This report examines the threats of UAVs abroad and provides recommendations to mitigate these threats.

Drone Threats

Across the world, UAS are being used by criminal and terrorist organizations for reconnaissance and smuggling operations. In Indonesia, police have reported criminal drones being used to scout potential burglary targets. In France, drones were allegedly used to identify prison weak points for a potential escape attempt. Brazilian smugglers are known to use UAS in tandem with overland drug shipments, scouting routes for police checkpoints. Officials in the United Kingdom’s MI6 Intelligence Services reported being tracked by unidentified UAS.[1] Multiple drones have been shot down (or have crashed) while smuggling narcotics over the U.S.-Mexico border.[2] Artificial intelligence models have been developed to recognize and catalog faces, walking patterns, and license plates; while governments have deployed these AI technologies to assist in crime-prevention and tracking, many of these models are open-source, can be accessed by non-state actors, and can be deployed for criminal or terroristic uses. Because drones are often too small to identify and can fly quickly and at varying altitudes, even inexpensive, consumer-grade UAS may be utilized for illegal or nefarious purposes.[3] As battery lifespans and drone-controller ranges increase, these devices will become even more ubiquitous in criminal and terrorist reconnaissance operations.

UAS may also be used as weapons. While military-grade UAS have been used by militaries to launch explosives for years, significant advancements have been made over the past 10 years in weaponizing smaller drones. Many nations, including Iran, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates are mass-producing inexpensive weaponized drones, and these devices have been seen in conflicts from Ukraine to Colombia. FPV, or First-Person View drones, are now a common style of UAS that require the operator to fly the drone via a virtual or augmented reality headset, allowing for extremely precise piloting. FPV drones are often fixed-wing aircraft, meaning they do not rely on rotary-wing propulsion and therefore can be heavier than standard quadcopters; this allows FPV drones to be equipped with an explosive warhead that produce a potent combination for targeted strikes against vehicles, facilities, or high value targets.[4] Civilian-grade quadcopters are also being laden with explosives for attacks. Assassinations in Mexico and East Africa have been conducted via retrofitted photography drones, and early reporting indicates a converted UAS was used to blow up a military helicopter in Colombia in August 2025.[5] Drones originally equipped with drop mechanisms for small-item deliveries–even being used to transport engagement rings and film proposals–have now been retrofitted to drop grenades or mortar shells, a tactic originating in the Ukraine conflict.[6]

Counter-Drone Opportunities

OSAC members should begin to take proactive steps against the threat of UAS, including updating all standard operating and emergency response procedures. Outfit facilities and vehicles with tinted or reflective windows to reduce the risk of drone-based photography. Design facilities' skylights, exhaust ports, and other nontraditional points of entry with "hardened" or reinforced materials such as netting or mesh covers. As AI technology continues to be deployed via UAS, countermeasures, such as reflective glasses and specialized license plate covers, may be useful tools in spoofing facial and vehicle recognition software (although local laws should be consulted before deploying these measures). Deploying friendly drones may also be an effective tool to identify malicious UAS and UAS operators. OSAC members should consult with local foreign law enforcement to determine their anti-drone technologies, and to produce legal and effective plans to counter unauthorized drone reconnaissance. Some foreign governments may be able to assist in designating airspace as no-fly-zones, criminalizing drone flights and thus disincentivizing more casual UAS usage near facilities or operations.

For OSAC members operating in areas where explosive drones are a concern, facility and vehicle hardening may be warranted. Some OSAC members in Colombia and the Levant region utilize explosive-resistant armored vehicles for executive travel. Facilities in these regions are advised to have standardized shelter-in-place or evacuation plans, and organizations should consider their local and regional reputational risks; those with public connections to controversial programs or known public figures may consider additional safety measures. OSAC members should also consider the employment of airspace monitoring systems, UAS jammers and other countermeasures, especially if they operate within critical infrastructure. Countermeasures are not necessarily expensive; simple methods, such as patrolling guards with shotguns, may be the most effective at countering UAS attacks. OSAC members, especially those in urban areas, should note local laws on firearm ownership and usage.

Additional Information

Please see OSAC’s report on Commercial and Personal Drone Use Abroad.

For more information on this topic, please contact OSAC’s regional teams.

• OSACAsia@state.gov
• OSACEurope@state.gov
• OSACMENA@state.gov
• OSACAfrica@state.gov
• OSACAmericas@state.gov

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