With their increasing contribution to operational activity in a variety of arenas, their capabilities on the battlefield have also expanded. So how did this happen? We looked up - and deep into enemy territory.

This small and "simple" vehicle, which has become part of the war landscape today, has quite a few capabilities that make it significant on the battlefield: it is stealthy, can penetrate through narrow openings, descend into the bowels of the earth and serve as another pair of eyes - capable of even neutralizing threats. This is the story of drones in the field.

So what makes a drone - a combat tool?

"The beauty of the tool is that it is simple from an engineering perspective, so we can make all kinds of adjustments to it that we want," explains Captain A., a project officer in the robotics and autonomy branch at the IDF. There, they are perfecting the field of land-based drones - from software development to 'tweaking' in the laboratories: "Whether it's adding engines and a brain, or adapting military software and assembling weapons systems."

And so - drones have become much more than just 'observation'. Here are some of the things they are capable of doing, and that we can talk about.

Tactical drones

The first type - the 'tactical' drones. "What sets them apart is their small size, which allows a fighter to carry them on his back. Among other things, they provide observation and intelligence to the team in the field with a camera that connects live," describes Captain A., "and with the help of building special parts and add-ons, the drone is stealthy - and much more than just another pair of eyes."

You've probably seen the latest video of terrorist Yahya Sinwar. But you may not have known that it was recorded by a tactical drone. So what makes it unique besides its photography capabilities? "We take the existing drone and make adjustments to expand the range of capabilities," he explains, "offensive capabilities, improvements to existing technological features, and also adding capabilities for exposing and destroying enemy forces."

Thus, the small drone became a tactical weapon, and in the last war it helped eliminate many terrorists, even inside tunnels.

Mission Drones

Another type of drone is the 'mission' drone. "These drones are equipped with special sensors, engines "Specialized and radar," notes Captain A., "they don't necessarily accompany the force, and are operated remotely."

One of them is the 'Tzur', whose components can be modified according to operational needs: "For example, if we want the vehicle to be able to fly at a certain angle or speed - we improve and add engines. Alongside this, we also develop unique software that connects to radars and helps track the location of the drone and the terrorists in real time."

'Tzur Admadam'

The 'Tzur', as the officer demonstrates, can be a kind of logistics taxi: "It can be used to send payloads (a designated load) to our force and thus provide ammunition and food rations, or alternatively - to attack and eliminate enemy forces and terrorists with it. One of the projects we developed during the war is the 'Tzur Admadam', which is connected to a payload with blood rations that are sent deep into the battlefield, helping to save the lives of fighters."

The increasing use of drones, as indicated by the Ground Technology Brigade, contributes greatly to the development Theirs: "We are in constant dialogue with the fighters in the field, whether it's Yahalom, Maglan or Sky Rider - we see and hear what will improve their operations. Then, we technologically translate their operational needs into a practical and effective solution."