The first known use of a “suicide drone” was reportedly believed to have taken place during the recent skirmishes between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Azerbaijani forces might have deployed an Israeli-made drone that was loaded with explosives and crashed into its desired target in lieu of using a missile.
The Armenian defense ministry said that alleged “suicide drone” slammed into a bus carrying Armenian soldiers, killing seven people.
The drone, known as a Harop, destroys its target by ramming into it. The device can be remotely piloted or it can find targets based on radar or radio wave emissions, according to its website. The drone can be fired from the back of a vehicle and can fly up to 600 miles before hitting the target.
The Telegraph reported that a video from a pro-Azerbaijan group showed the drone in the air before diving to its intended target. The device is shown flying behind a ride, but didn’t show hitting its target.
According to The Post, the Harop has been sold to India and Azerbaijan and it’s unclear how many other countries have obtained the device. Israeli Aerospace Industries said in a June press release that the device had “considerable sales potential.”
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