New Delhi: Lone actor terrorists are increasingly using drones to carry out reconnaissance missions of potential targets. Literature that is regularly posted by the various media wings of the Islamic State has been encouraging lone-actor terrorists to use drones to get information about the targets.
The Islamic State has been encouraging these persons through their various propaganda channels to use Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) drones both for reconnaissance and for attacks. The COTS drones are ready-made and are mass-produced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They are readily available for the public to purchase. These are not custom-built military or industrial drones.
They are designed for immediate use out of the box and are generally used in sectors such as construction, real estate or agriculture. The easy availability of these drones and their low noise signature is what has made them a favourite among terror groups. Further, it is the best equipment for lone-actor terrorists to use, and hence the Islamic State has been pushing heavily for it to be used.
The experts say that this is easy to use, and terror groups have managed to modify the COTS drones to carry and drop improvised explosive devices (IEDs). An official said that preparing the IED remains the only challenge, but the COTS drones by itself is easier to operate. However, the Islamic State has plenty of material when it comes to preparing the IED.
The Islamic State has also taken advantage of the fact that COTS drones have a low noise signature. This allows the terrorist to carry out an operation quietly. This feature makes it hard for the drone to be detected by human ears or acoustic sensors. Owing to the lower profile of this drone and the noise input, the drone can hover over target locations unnoticed. This is the feature the Islamic State wants the lone actor terrorists to exploit, especially when it comes to reconnaissance missions.
Counterterrorism experts say that COTS drones are capable of carrying payloads of up to 2 to 5 kilograms. While the attack by itself would have a low impact, the psychological effect it would have on the people would be immense. The Islamic State is known to also incite psychological terror during attacks. For instance, the vehicle ramming tactic that it has deployed so many times is very much part of the psychological warfare that it indulges in.
As part of its plan, the terror group has not been advising its operatives to use drones only for surveillance and IED strikes. To cause a deep psychological impact, the terror group also encourages lone actor terrorists to use COTS drones to spray chemicals over mass gatherings. This drives panic in the minds of the people.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that COTS drones are a major threat. Their usage by lone actor terrorists is a very worrisome development. However, India was quick to recognise this problem and, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, implemented a total ban on it in 2022. The ban was also imposed to promote Make in India and encourage local startups to develop indigenous drones. National security was at the top of the agenda when the ban was imposed. Foreign drones could act as spycraft by sending sensitive data abroad.
The agencies also reported that such drones were being used to smuggle drugs across the border.
Another official said that Pakistan has been trying to smuggle such drones into India.
These could be accessed by the lone actor terrorists, who in turn would look to follow the Islamic State’s instructions and use it in India, the official also cautioned.
(IANS)
