North Korea Showcases Global Hawk-Like Reconnaissance Drone

North Korea Showcases Global Hawk-Like Reconnaissance Drone

North Korea has showcased a large reconnaissance drone that closely resembles the U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk, after the aircraft was first unveiled by Pyongyang in 2023.

The drone, known as the Saetbyol-4, was reportedly put through testing yesterday as part of its ongoing development. The aircraft is designed for surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions, although reports indicate that development of the system is still underway.

The Saetbyol-4 was first publicly presented in 2023, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending the initial unveiling of the aircraft.

Its design and apparent mission profile have drawn comparisons with the U.S. Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft used for wide-area intelligence and surveillance.