The ROK Army deploys the Songgolmae (RQ-101) reconnaissance UAV, an indigenous system introduced in 2000.The ROK Army operates roughly 500 reconnaissance UAVs, distributed across multiple echelons. Figures provided by Army Headquarters to the National Assembly’s Defense Committee show that the Ground Operations Command fields three systems, corps-level units around 20, division-level units about 50, and battalion-level formations approximately 440.

At the corps level, the Army deploys the Songgolmae (RQ-101) reconnaissance UAV, an indigenous system introduced in 2000. Designed for forward-area surveillance, it can operate for up to six hours at altitudes of 4.5 km, with a 110 km operational radius. The system provides real-time day-and-night video of fixed and mobile targets, including North Korean personnel and military infrastructure.

Complementing Songgolmae is the Heron medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV, introduced from Israel in December 2014 by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Optimized for surveillance of the northwest islands and the Seoul metropolitan border regions, Heron operates at 9–10 km altitude, carries up to 250 kg of sensors, and can remain airborne for more than 40 hours.

At lower echelons, the Army fields division- and battalion-level UAVs. The division-level reconnaissance UAV, operational since 2021, can precisely identify targets beyond 10 km and automatically track them. Two aircraft can fly simultaneously, enabling continuous 24-hour coverage, and the system is tailored for the peninsula’s mountainous terrain with steep-descent landing capability.

Battalions employ the Remoeye hand-launched UAV, which can be thrown like a paper airplane and recovered via parachute and airbag. It supports interchangeable day and night cameras, touchscreen ground control, automated route-following, real-time target display, and automatic return-to-base functions.

The ROK Navy operates fewer than 10 rotary-wing Camcopter S-100 UAVs from two intelligence ships, Sinsegi and Singiwon. Manufactured by Schiebel of Austria, the lightweight system—about 3 meters long and 150 kg—provides real-time video intelligence focused on North Korean maritime activity.

The ROK Air Force fields four high-altitude long-endurance Global Hawk (RQ-4) unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. Capable of identifying objects as small as 30 cm in diameter, the RQ-4 offers deep-look intelligence across North Korea and is often described as comparable to space-based reconnaissance assets. Two aircraft were introduced in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Beyond the traditional services, the ROK established a Drone Operations Command in September 2023, placed directly under the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Separate from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the command oversees reconnaissance as well as offensive drone operations.

Defense sources say the unit has secured hundreds of unmanned systems, including high-altitude reconnaissance platforms, long-range small drones, loitering munitions, and stealth drones. In October 2024, military authorities confirmed a contract with Poland’s WB Electronics to acquire Warmate loitering munitions. While details were undisclosed, the deal is understood to cover around 200 units valued at approximately $11 million, with systems already deployed to the Drone Operations Command for contingency readiness.

Over the past three years, the ROK military has sharply increased procurement of reconnaissance, attack, and first-person-view (FPV) drones tailored to unit-specific missions. Officials project that UAV inventories will easily surpass 1,000 units, with plans to double overall drone capabilities by 2026 compared with 2024 levels.

Under the administration of Lee Jae-myung, the Ministry of National Defense has also launched the “500,000 Drone Warriors Training” initiative, significantly expanding drone education and operator training across the armed forces.

K-DEFENSE NEWS | Strategic Analysis Desk

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