The massive use of drones in the Sudanese civil war, the consequences of which are devastating, is facilitated by foreign powers engaged in a trade war by supplying both belligerents with reconnaissance and attack drones. The Sudanese Armed Forces ( #FAS ), the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces ( #RSF ), and their foreign backers use drones with ranges between 30 km and 4,000 km for combat, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Sudan’s geography and size (approximately 1,250 km from north to south and 1,390 km from east to west) are conducive to drone strikes and surveillance, as coverage is limited. Recent satellite images  show at least three drones and the construction of hangars at the #Nyala airport south of #Darfour held by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), providing evidence that the flow of such weapons fueling this war is uninterrupted. Several states, the #Iran , the #Russie , the #Chine , the #Émirats United Arab Emirates  and the #Turquie are indirectly contributing to the continuation of the civil war by sending drones to the warring parties. The opportunity to make a non-exhaustive and documented inventory of these military capabilities.
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Wing loong II ( #RSF )

🔸 Made in China, the Wing Loong II drone is operated by the United Arab Emirates. It features a platform equipped with optical sensors and radar that are specialized in ground surveillance.

It is also, as its name suggests, a medium-altitude long-endurance combat drone ( #MALE ). illustration image It is mainly distinguished by its ability to carry different loads. In this sense, the drone is capable of carrying up to 480 kilograms of bombs and carrying laser-guided missiles. The system has an autonomy of 20 hours and can reach a maximum speed of 379 kilometers per hour. illustration image 📷

Its operational range is 1,500 kilometers and it is equipped with a satellite communication system. Its first deployment by the United Arab Emirates dates back to July 2024 in support of the #RSF . The multi-role Wing Loong II has mainly been used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in Sudan. Its cost is estimated at $1 to $2 million.
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FH-95 (Feihong) (RSF)

🔸 Made in China, the FH-95 drone has been deployed by the United Arab Emirates. Also known as the “flying swan”, it is capable not only of reconnaissance and attack functions, but also of using electronic warfare.

The Feihong 95 has a takeoff weight of 1,000 kg and can lift more than 250 kg of payload. In the air, the flying swan can be under the control of an operator for about 24 hours and perform a variety of functions from attack to reconnaissance.

Its main feature is to carry electronic warfare equipment. Along with other drones, the flying swan performs traditional missions, armed reconnaissance, border patrol, and marine area surveillance. It also has the ability to work as a drone “eclipser.” While other drones perform various combat missions, the flying swan covers them all with its electronic warfare system and can make them invisible, according to the Chinese newspaper The Global Times.

This electronic warfare capability and the ability to protect the airspace for other drones is an advantage compared to other models. Due to this feature, widely disseminated by China, many buyers have been interested in it, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Iran and a number of countries in South America and North Africa. With a multi-role capability with a range of 250 km, it has a payload capacity of 250 km, it can carry laser-guided bombs and anti-radiation missiles. Its cost is not known.

Its first deployment to Sudan according to Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab was first observed at RSF-controlled Nyala Airport between December 2024 and January 2025.
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Quadcopter drone (RSF)

🔸 The use of smaller but equally effective drones such as quadcopter drones was also noted.
At a lower cost, they allow short-range observation and precise targeting of specific locations with small, equally destructive charges.

The origin of these drones is not fully identified but could be similar to Chinese drones #DJI as the video suggests. Widely used in #Ukraine🇺🇦 they could have been deployed via Russia.
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Mohajer-6 ( #FAS )

🔹 Manufactured in Iran by Qods Air Industries, the Mohajer 6 drone is a multi-role MALE drone. It is capable of carrying a multispectral surveillance payload and/or up to four precision-guided munitions.

The drone has a maximum weight of 600 to 670 kg and can carry about 100 to 150 kg of weapons, depending on the model. The Mohajer-6’s ground control station has a range of 200 to 500 km, a maximum speed of 200 km/h, an endurance of 12 hours and a ceiling of 16,000 to 18,000 feet.

Since late 2023, Iran has stepped up its deliveries of attack drones to the Sudanese military. This development reflects Iran’s growing military involvement in the Sudanese conflict.
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Ababil-3 (FAS)

🔹 Manufactured in Iran by HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company), the ABABIL-3, multi-role drone #UAV is a small, lightweight drone that can carry a 45-kilogram warhead. It has a range of 100-250 km.

It is capable of carrying guided bombs and anti-tank missiles. This makes it a formidable weapon in the hands of the Sudanese army, which has used it to target rebel positions.
The Ababil-3 is particularly effective in urban areas, where it can fly low and evade radar detection.
It can also be launched from a variety of platforms (vehicles; boats). It is versatile and can be deployed quickly and easily.

Sudanese forces first deployed the drone in the civil war in January 2024. Its cost is unknown. However, the Lebanese #Hezbollah 🇱🇧 reportedly acquired one for $5,000 each.
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➡️ Bayraktar TB2 (FAS)

🔹 Made in Turkey, the #TB2 Bayraktar is most certainly the most widespread drone in Africa. It was deployed in Sudan by the #Egypte🇪🇬 which delivered it for the first time in September 2023.

More recently, according to local sources, Turkey has provided a number of them to the Sudanese army, enabling it to launch counter-offensives and offensives targeting logistics convoys, artillery batteries and combat units.

The Bayraktar TB2 is a MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drone capable of carrying a payload of up to 150 kg. It has a maximum speed of 220 km/h (137 mph) and a range of up to 4,000 km. Its cost is $2 million to $5 million. It can carry laser-guided munitions. 7/9

Multi-role quadcopter drone (FAS)

🔹 Here again this type of device is used by the FAS. Probably of Chinese origin, it has a short range (30 km) and is less expensive (between 2,000 and 5,000 dollars), and can carry one or two grenades.

Ukrainian military personnel in Sudan used this type of drone to strike RSF targets in #Khartoum in September 2023, according to a Ukrainian military source familiar with the operation.
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The increasing use of drones in Sudan’s civil war, supported by foreign powers, is exacerbating violence and prolonging the conflict.

These drones, supplied by countries such as Iran, Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, enable increasingly precise strikes and continuous surveillance, thus aggravating the suffering of populations.
The situation is all the more complex because both belligerent forces benefit from this cutting-edge technology, underlining the intensity and longevity of this conflict.