[비즈한국] The procurement project for 'cardboard drones' (small reconnaissance drones Type 3), which was aborted last year, is set to resume this year. It is reported that the military plans to evaluate the operational effectiveness of these cardboard reconnaissance drones before proceeding with the potential development and introduction of cardboard drones for suicide missions.
According to recent defense industry sources, the military held a bidding process for small cardboard drones at the end of last year. However, the project was reportedly suspended after all participating companies were deemed unsuitable. A representative from a participating company explained, "While we met the performance requirements requested by the military, most companies failed the corporate suitability evaluation—a separate process from the product itself—so no company passed. It seems this decision was made because most are small and medium-sized enterprises focused on technology that lack extensive track records."
Despite these issues, the military authorities decided to resume the cardboard drone project because North Korea has been continuously escalating its threats against the South, recently unveiling scenes of precision strikes using cardboard drones. It is understood that the military raised the necessity of securing similar weapons to deter North Korea’s provocative intentions using such drones.
On November 14 last year, North Korea released footage of a cardboard drone being launched from a passenger car and detonating to set it on fire. Kim Jong Un, who observed the test, remarked that "the global competition to utilize drones as a major means of military power is accelerating" and ordered the transition to mass production.
In a test of national defense scientific research projects released by North Korea on the 27th, reports also surfaced of cardboard drones striking targets modeled after South Korean military equipment, such as the L-SAM (Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile) launch vehicle and counter-battery radars. Representative Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party stated, "There appears to be an attempt to neutralize air defense systems through swarm attacks by leveraging the advantage of cardboard drones, which are difficult to detect on radar," adding, "It is analyzed that since their first public appearance last year, they have upgraded the destructive power by changing the targets from passenger cars to military vehicles."
Cardboard drones are small and quiet, making them difficult to detect, and because they are made of paper, they are virtually invisible to radar. They are also cost-effective, often cited as one of the most threatening weapons in modern warfare, with an average price of around 5 million won. It is known that the lowest bid for the cardboard drone project last year was 2.5 million won per unit.
Domestic defense companies have also developed ultra-lightweight cardboard drones weighing only about 2.5kg, equipped with small electric motors as power sources. They also feature long endurance, typically capable of flying for over 120 minutes. With minor modifications to certain components, these drones can be utilized for suicide missions by carrying explosives.
The upcoming procurement plan involves signing a contract for domestically produced drones, with an initial delivery of approximately 100 units to be deployed to the Drone Operations Command. Eom Hyo-sik, Secretary General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said, "Securing cardboard drones alone can achieve a deterrent effect against North Korea," adding, "There is a need for future mass production with added suicide drone capabilities and AI functions."