An unconfirmed report from Syria suggests that ISIS has started using small drones packed with explosives as weapons. The first attack was a failure, but if the report is accurate, then it signals a dangerous new terror threat.

The report showed pictures of the remains of a homemade attack drone. It was apparently shot down, along with a second drone that exploded, by Kurdish YPF ("People's Defence Units") fighters in Syria. The caption says that both drones carried explosives, and that no YPF fighters were injured in the incident.

ISIS and Drones

Unlike many jihadi groups, ISIS has proven itself tech-savvy—the organization is known for its use of social media, for instance. This latest development is not surprising, as it follows a long history of drone usage. In late 2014, during the battle for Kobane, ISIS started using footage taken from dronesin their propaganda videos. Around the same time, ISIS started using quadrotors for battlefield reconnaissance. A number of them, mainly DJI quadrotors, were reportedly shot down or captured by Kurdish fighters, according to a news report from December 2014. These drones were apparently used as artillery spotters, finding targets and correcting the fall or fire for mortar crews.

By early this year, ISIS drones had become important enough to be targeted by U.S. airstrikes. A CENTCOM report in March mentions that "Near Fallujah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL remotely piloted aircraft and an ISIL vehicle."

"We observed it flying for approximately 20 minutes. We observed it land. We observed the enemy place it in the trunk of a car and we struck the car," according to Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren. Warren described the drone as "a model airplane" and "commercially available, remotely piloted aircraft, really something anyone can get." Another ISIS drone ("remotely piloted vehicle") was destroyed in an airstrike in June, and a third in August.

Friends of YPG YPJ

In fact, ISIS tactical drones seem to be appearing all over this year. In September the Levant Front (or Jabhat al-Shamiyya) released pictures of a camera-carrying Talon drone they brought down, which they say was flown by ISIS. The X-UAV Talon is available in kit form for about $100; it is made of plywood with a six-foot wingspan and has a large fuselage compartment for cameras or other payloads. In October, Iraqi police shot down a fixed-wing ISIS drone near Ramadi. Again it was of the small, hand-launched variety, though a different model, and the Iraqis say it was photographing military units. Even al-Qaeda has released pictures and video of what is claims was a downed ISIS drone.

This flurry of drone activity is a reflection of just how easy it has become to acquire and fly drones. Just as home computers were once confined to dedicated hobbyists but found a wider market, drones have broken into the mainstream with models that require no piloting or technical skills to fly. This gives ISIS access to aerial reconnaissance that would otherwise be impossible in the face of the air superiority of Syrian, Russian, and Western forces.

New Tactics, Cheap Drones

The pictures of the ISIS attack drone were posted by a user called "Catelyn Carrigan" on the Facebook page of the group "Friends of the YPG YPJ" with the headline "YPG Shoots Down 2 ISIS Drones." The location of the new pictures is given as "Southern Kobanê, Qracoezag province near the bridge." We received no response to queries for more information on the pictures.

This would not be the first terrorist drone strike. Hamas and Hezbollah, for example, both have used fixed-wing kamikaze drones with explosive warheads, but those were larger, modified versions of military Mirsad and Ababbil drones supplied by Iran. The ISIS drones do not rely on imported military technology, but can be assembled in a garage, for cheap. Some eagled-eyed redditors believe the drone in question today is the Skwalker X7 or X8, which costs $179 for the kit.

As we've recently noted, small drones make effective battlefield weapons. The Switchblade by American company AeroVironment and the Israeli Hero-30 have both proven lethal, giving a foot soldier the power to launch his own airstrike to locate and hit a target from several miles away from behind cover. These military drones boast jam-proof communications, sophisticated terminal guidance, and advanced warheads. But even a crude, home-made version might be deadly in a terrorist attack against a soft target.

During the recent terror attacks in Paris, the attackers were unable to gain access to the Stade de France, which was packed with fans for a soccer game. But drones cannot be stopped by walls or fences. While they can only carry a small amount of explosive compared to a suicide bomber, they can be deployed in significant numbers, and they can be directed with great accuracy against vulnerable targets.

Of course, security forces are already looking at how to mitigate the threat from small drones, and various defensive measures are already in place, from nets to electronic detectors and jammers. Commercial drones can be stopped easily enough by jamming their control frequencies, or even hacking them to take over the drone, but purpose-built attack drones will be much harder to combat.

Small drones can be built for a few thousand dollars in any home workshop. 3D printed drones are no longer a novelty, and how-to guides can be shared easily over the internet. It is far too late to stop this technology from proliferating. ISIS first drone attack may have failed, but it is not likely to be the last. It may be time to get serious about defending against small drones.

David Hambling's new book Swarm Troopers: How small drones will conquer the world is out this month.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io