Weapons Analysis: ELN and FARC Guerrillas Operating Armed Drones

Colombian guerrilla groups are increasingly using commercially available drones to conduct attacks against security forces and rival armed organizations. In this analysis for Militant Wire, War Noir examines how the National Liberation Army (ELN) and factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have adapted DJI Mavic and Matrice drones to deliver improvised explosive devices. These attacks have targeted Colombian military personnel, police installations, and competing armed groups, including a strike in Norte de Santander that killed a Colombian Army sergeant and wounded four soldiers. These developments warrant attention for their implications for insurgent tactics, weapons proliferation, territorial control, and counterinsurgency operations. The availability of commercial drone technology presents immediate challenges for Colombian security forces, particularly in force protection, aerial threat detection, and counter-drone defense. This substack piece (paywalled) provides a useful analysis of how established guerrilla organizations are incorporating unmanned aircraft into their operations and the security challenges associated with their continued use across Colombia.