Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are currently one of the main ways the ongoing war in Sudan is being fought by both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). According to the United Nations, UAVs caused more than 80 percent of civilian deaths in Sudan during the first four months of 2026. However, most UAVs seen on the battlefield in Sudan are manufactured in foreign countries, with credible reports suggesting that both the RSF and SAF are receiving technical and material support from foreign actors.
CIR conducted open-source investigations to identify which UAVs are being used in Sudan by which actors, and where they are manufactured. CIR identified:
- 21 unique UAV models assessed to have been used in Sudan since April 2023, only one of which is manufactured in Sudan.
- Six countries of manufacture including Belarus, Iran, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, Sudan, and Türkiye.
- 12 manufacturing companies, including state-linked and sanctioned entities such as the Iranian Qods Aviation Industry and Russian Zala Group.
- 10 UAV models used by the RSF and aligned forces, manufactured in Belarus, the PRC, and Russia.
- Five UAV models used by the SAF and aligned forces, manufactured in Iran, Sudan, and Türkiye.
These findings are based solely on open-source or publicly available information. This includes satellite imagery, user-generated content (UGC) such as images and videos posted online, and secondary reports from credible and reliable sources. CIR assessed that each UAV was present in Sudan since April 2023 with “moderate” to “very high” confidence based on analysis of authentic and verified UGC and satellite imagery using CIR’s methodology.
Each UAV model and associated country of manufacture was verified by a CIR weapons expert. In some cases, CIR was unable to identify the model, despite it being distinct from others. In these cases, the model and manufacturing country are “Unknown”. CIR also assessed which actors operate which UAVs: the RSF and aligned forces, SAF and aligned forces, or both. Actors linked to UAVs with “moderate” to “very high” confidence are included.
This factsheet is not a complete list of UAVs actively used in Sudan, but rather a resource that CIR continues to update as new open-source information surfaces. More information on CIR’s data and methodology is available on request.
