North Korea unveiled two new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that closely resemble known U.S. drone models on Thursday, signaling via state media that the country is well on its way to achieving both combat and reconnaissance drone capabilities. 

It is unclear when Pyongyang began developing the new drones, but their reveal comes around two and a half years after the Jan. 2021 party congress, where DPRK leader Kim Jong Un ordered the military to produce “unmanned striking equipment” and “reconnaissance drones” with a range of 310 miles (500 km).