Drones in modern warfare

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, have evolved from niche tools for surveillance to versatile instruments for precision strikes, psychological warfare, and strategic disruption.

Their affordability, accessibility, and adaptability have democratised advanced warfare capabilities, enabling both state and non-state actors to challenge traditional military powers, thereby redefining asymmetric warfare. However, the term ‘UAV’ or ‘drone’ may appear to be a recent phenomenon, but its roots date back to the 19th century. Drawing on examples from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, the India-Pakistan escalations of 2025, and Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian air bases on June 1, 2025, we will try to understand how drones have redefined the battlefield, altered power dynamics, and introduced new challenges for defense strategies. Drones, or UAVs, have an intriguing history that dates back over a century.