WANA (Dec 04) – While many people are familiar only with the military applications of drones, their use has now expanded far beyond the defense sector.
In Iran, the development of various indigenous drone systems — including the Mohajer, Ababil, and Shahed families — has positioned the country as a significant global player in unmanned aviation.
Drone technology is increasingly being employed across multiple industries such as environmental protection, natural disaster management, and other civilian sectors. Its applications continue to grow rapidly, with new examples emerging regularly.
According to the head of a knowledge-based company, Iranian experts have redesigned the Shahed-191 drone specifically for cloud-seeding operations.
Details of the Shahed-191 Military-Capable Drone
The Shahed-191, also known as “Saegheh-2,” is powered by a turbojet engine rather than a piston engine. Equipped with a high-speed turbojet, the drone benefits from enhanced radar evasion, prompting engineers to place the munitions it carries inside an internal weapons bay within the fuselage.
The aircraft’s high operating altitude and improved stealth characteristics necessitated an internal weapons compartment to further reduce radar visibility during combat missions.
Iran’s drone industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, and today even major military powers have shown interest in acquiring these systems — a development seen as recognition that Iran has become one of the leading countries in this field.
New images showing underground drone tunnels belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force, 16 june 2025 / WANA News Agency