Learning from Myanmar's rebels, junta builds new Chinese drone fleet

Models made for commercial use modified to carry arms to attack resistance forces

Myanmar's resistance fighters notched decisive breakthroughs in 2023 by relying on a scattered fleet of drones in battles against one of South-east Asia's most feared militaries.

But as the civil war grinds on, the rebels increasingly face the unfamiliar situation of their familiar weapons Chinese-made commercial drones modified to carry arms - being used in the hands of Myanmar's ruling junta, according to seven people with knowledge of the matter.

"The battle is changing now as drones are being used by both sides," said a 31-year-old rebel fighter in the country's south-east, identifying himself by the nom de guerre of Ta Yoke Gyi.

He said the junta began using armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to attack the rebels at around the turn of the year and that his unit recently shot down a drone, which they identified as Chinese from its components and had been modified for combat.

Two rebel fighters in other parts of Myanmar also described similar skirmishes to Reuters.

The news agency interviewed four resistance fighters, two analysts and an official from a country in the region who tracks the conflict.

They described for the first time specifics about the junta's use of Chinese-manufactured drones that are jerry-rigged to carry explosives.

Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Some resistance fighters have been injured by the junta's drones, said Mr Ta Yoke Gyi. "They have become better at using them." The junta started procuring thousands of Chinese commercial UAVS at the start of the year that it is modifying to arm with locally manufactured munitions, said Dr Min Zaw Oo, executive director of the Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security think-tank.

He said he obtained information on junta drones from military officials and people with knowledge of weapons production.