Ulsan: The Navy has launched a test to assess the feasibility of using commercial drones and unmanned ships for military operations for the first time, officials said Wednesday, amid growing demand for the cost-effective weapons in modern warfare. The test kicked off at a research center in Ulsan, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Monday for a five-day run to verify the potential of deploying commercial unmanned systems in a contingency.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Navy mobilized three unmanned surface ships, 10 drones, and a civilian boat for the test aimed at verifying ways to use commercial assets for reconnaissance activities, attack operations on enemy assets, and logistics support. Among the mobilized drones were a fixed-wing drone used for deep-sea fishing to track tuna schools, a multirotor drone usually used for logistics transportation, and a cardboard drone that can be used as a loitering munition, the Navy said.
The armed service stated it plans to continue exploring ways to incorporate commercial unmanned assets for peacetime and wartime military operations.