Revealed: Isis developing weaponised drones in secretive programme

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery A plywood drone fuselage discovered at an Isis workshop in Ramadi, Iraq, in February 2016 After the so-called Islamic State was driven out of the city of Ramadi in December last year, a field investigation team from the UK-based Conflict Armament Research group discovered a specialist workshop. “The co-discovery of drone construction and attempts to repurpose missile components plausibly suggests attempts by Islamic State forces to develop some form of weaponised drone.” open image in gallery Fuselage and wing parts seen at an Isis drone workshop in Ramadi, Iraq, February 2016 Militants had also left bulk supplies of resistors, transistors and signal relays, of a type previously used in Isis’ manufacture of radio-controlled improvised explosive devices. The first two incidents had “little impact”, the report said, but the most recent known attack killed two Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and seriously injured two French special forces soldiers. “This incident is noteworthy as it is the first confirmed case of a weaponised drone operated by a terrorist group contributing to actual deaths.” open image in gallery Isis and other militant groups have been using and adapting commercial drones The report concluded that the threat from drones operated by Isis and other militant groups remains low, with successful attacks being the exception rather than the rule, and largely aimed to garner publicity.