A satellite image shows smoke rising from an oil pumping station following a Ukrainian drone attack during the Russia-Ukraine war in Perm, Russia, May 7. Reuters-Yonhap
From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the Iran crisis, drones have emerged as one of the defining weapons of modern warfare, repeatedly used to strike enemy infrastructure and detect hidden hostile forces. In both ongoing conflicts, drones have proven highly effective in inflicting damage at relatively low cost, prompting countries to rethink their military strategy and defense spending.
The volume of drones used so far in both wars is staggering. Some 1.5 million and 1.4 million drones are estimated to have been flown by Russia and Ukraine, respectively, in 2024 alone. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were responsible for 70 percent of human casualties on both sides. Early last year, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine said it will purchase 4.5 million first-person view drones to further shore up its capabilities.
Iran, meanwhile, has launched over 3,000 drones to deliver asymmetric long-range strikes against United States and Israeli forces. The Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington has estimated Iran’s HESA Shahed-136 suicide drone to be worth about $35,000, far cheaper than the U.S. Patriot missile valued at about $3.9 million.
The critical presence of drones has raised the importance more sustainable UAV use. Instead of deploying them as an expendable asset, methods to maintain them for longer use are now gaining global attention.
Iranian drones are displayed during a ceremony held by the Iranian army's combat organization in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13. Reuters-Yonhap
Against this backdrop, Korean firms — including Weflo, a company based in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province — are moving to develop drone maintenance, repair and operation (MRO) technologies.
Weflo’s technologies are concentrated inside verti-Pit, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based drone pad that automatically detects electrical errors or damaged parts of a sitting UAV without needing a human expert to disassemble and rummage inside the machine. Within 10 seconds, verti-Pit runs a complete noncontact prognosis over 16 checklist items including motor revolutions per minute, broken wire, abnormal battery thermal sign, blade balance, mounting orientation and sensor mounting conditions before takeoff.
Without this kind of automated MRO, inspecting hundreds or thousands of drones would rely on human labor, which is inconsistent and time-consuming. Weflo Founder and CEO Kim Yee-jung said the job is practically impossible, especially during a military operation. The hassle would cause a bottleneck and an operating force would eventually have to fly them without any maintainence or repair at all.
“The most dangerous moment when operating drones is when they take off. Loitering munitions or attack UAVs can malfunction due to errors in propulsion system, battery or communication. If that happens shortly after takeoff and causes drones to drop, it can cause serious damage to friendly forces,” Kim said.
Source: Korea Times News
