Ground truths from the drone attack on Myanmar’s Tada-U Airbase

Footage circulated online on 10 September 2026 shows a series of first-person-view (FPV) drone attacks on a Myanmar Air Force (MAF) base. Myanmar state media described the incident as an attack on “Tada-U International Airport”, and Myanmar Airways International suspended its flights from Mandalay International Airport until 12 September 2026. However, Myanmar Witness geolocated the footage to Tada-U Airbase, a separate military site approximately three kilometres from the airport’s main terminal. Based on available footage, Myanmar Witness also found that there is no evidence or indication that the civilian terminal or its runways were directly hit.

Myanmar Witness identified five distinct attack sequences across three locations. One is a hangar previously linked to the Yak-130 aircraft, a Russian-made jet trainer used by the MAF in combat. Though Myanmar Witness could not verify whether any aircraft were damaged, it assesses the incident as a significant example of coordinated FPV drone activity against a MAF facility.

Five attacks across three strikes

Myanmar Witness analysed a compilation of footage released on 11 September 2026 by the Myingyan District Drone Strike Team (MDDST). The compilation contains six scenes, but two show the same incident, leaving five distinct scenes to verify.

Myanmar Witness compared the drone footage with satellite imagery of the hangar layout and identified attack sequences on three sites: two older corrugated-metal hangars, a newer six-bay membrane hangar, and a drone crash in the apron area between the hangars. Footage also hints at how, when, and in what order the attack unfolded.

Using shadow analysis, Myanmar Witness was able to use the sun’s position to estimate that one of the three sequences at the six-bay hangar was very likely to have occurred between 13:55 and 14:41. However, the drone’s fisheye camera distorted the image, making standard measurement techniques potentially unreliable. Myanmar Witness offset the fisheye distortion with satellite and clearer reference footage.

A Telegram channel that monitors MAF movements, Waihin, reported that two MAF fighter jets departed Tada-U at 14:05 and 14:09 local time, with no further aircraft movements reported until 19:44 local time. This suggests that the six-bay hangar sequence occurred after 14:09, consistent with the shadow analysis findings.

Yak-130s behind anti-drone netting

In a 2022 report, Myanmar Witness identified that the six-bay hangar was connected to the Yak-130 aircraft. Aircraft consistent with the Yak-130 can be seen in the footage, held in the first and second hangar bays. Entrances to these hangar bays are covered by what appears to be anti-drone netting. In two sequences, one drone is visibly entangled and damaged in the net. 

The netting does limit what investigators can conclude from the footage, as the sudden image distortion, camera angle, and lack of clear post-impact video prevent a reliable damage assessment.

Claims versus footage

Myanmar state media reported that six drones were launched and subsequently intercepted by security forces, causing no casualties or damage to aircraft, vehicles, or runways. Myanmar Witness could not verify these claims.

On 15 September 2026, the Ministry of Defence of the National Unity Government (NUG), which opposes Myanmar’s military, issued a statement claiming that its People’s Defence Force (PDF) units from multiple districts had participated in a coordinated attack ‘targeting’ locations where MAF aircraft were stationed. Myanmar Witness has not verified the participation of each listed unit, the command structure, or the claim that specific aircraft were targeted.

A pro-military Telegram account, Warlens Myanmar, published satellite imagery marking where drones reportedly landed and exploded. Two of the marked locations shown in the imagery match Myanmar Witness’s geolocations. The remaining four locations could not be verified due to a lack of imagery. 

What the report can and can’t show

Myanmar Witness is highly confident that FPV drone attacks were directed at military aviation infrastructure at Tada-U Airbase. Myanmar Witness cannot establish the full extent of any damage. If aircraft were damaged, repairing or replacing them would be a complicated, expensive, time-consuming effort. 

The drone appears to be consistent with the conventional quadcopter drone carrying an RPG-type payload, though the model and launch locations remain unconfirmed.

The lack of explosions in the videos and the absence of identifiable burn scars in the satellite imagery reviewed by Myanmar Witness means that the investigation cannot confirm whether the attacks achieved their apparent objective. This does not demonstrate that the attacks caused no damage, simply that the available material is insufficient to assess the full extent of any damage.

The presence of several drones near the six-bay hangar strongly indicates that the anti-drone netting did not prevent all drones from reaching the target area, though footage does not allow for a full assessment of the protective measures that are in place. The incident underscores the potential vulnerability of fixed military aviation infrastructure to evolving FPV drone tactics.