PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Korea has publicly displayed a new flying-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the first time at the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Development-2026 exhibition, which opened on October 29. State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released images of the event on October 30.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his daughter Ju-ae, and senior military and munitions industry officials attended the exhibition. Kim inspected the displays and called for faster development of unmanned aviation technology and artificial intelligence for national defence. His wife, Ri Sol-ju, was also reported to be present.
New Flying-Wing UAV Design
The newly displayed UAV features a delta-shaped silhouette, blended-wing body, no vertical tail and a top-mounted air intake. Its design resembles Western stealth aircraft such as the European nEUROn developed by Dassault and the American X-47B developed by Northrop Grumman. Analysts have also noted similarities with Russia’s S-70 Okhotnik.
The flying-wing configuration is commonly used to reduce radar cross-section. However, North Korea has not released the aircraft’s technical specifications, engine details, intended mission or development status. It is also unknown whether the aircraft has flown or is a full-scale mock-up.
Other Drones and Firepower Demonstration
The exhibition featured strategic, operational and tactical multipurpose drones, reconnaissance UAVs, suicide attack drones, first-person-view (FPV) quadcopters and loitering munitions.
Larger systems included the Saetbyol-4, resembling the US RQ-4 Global Hawk, and the Saetbyol-9, similar in appearance to the MQ-9 Reaper. Images also showed smaller attack drones resembling Israel’s Harop and systems from the UVision Hero family. North Korea displayed Harop-like drones in large numbers in August 2024 and ordered mass production of suicide attack drones in November 2024.
A firepower demonstration involved tactical suicide drones, air-to-surface missiles launched from multipurpose UAVs, tactical cruise missiles and a battalion of 600 mm multiple rocket launchers. KCNA reported that drones and cruise missiles struck an island target with 100 percent accuracy. Images showed loitering munitions attacking mock targets resembling US M1 Abrams tanks, South Korean K9 self-propelled howitzers and military guard posts.
South Korean authorities reported detecting around a dozen short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Wonsan area on the same day. A direct connection to the demonstration has not been confirmed.
Kim Calls for AI-Powered Drone Development
Kim Jong Un described drone technology as essential to modern warfare and called for accelerated development of unmanned aviation and artificial intelligence for national defence.
He said achieving absolute superiority in drone technology was an indispensable option, adding that strength means peace and peace is guaranteed only by strength.
North Korea has previously tested AI-equipped attack drones and incorporated observations from the Russia-Ukraine conflict into its military programmes.
The exhibition reflects North Korea’s ongoing effort to expand its unmanned systems inventory. However, the technical capabilities and operational readiness of the new flying-wing UAV remain unknown.
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