A modern North Korean aircraft resembling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) appeared on a runway at a major air base this month, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery, the first visual evidence of active drone testing in support of one of Kim Jong Un’s key military development goals.

Planet Labs imagery shows an aircraft with narrow wings spanning roughly 65 feet (20 meters) — similar in size and shape to foreign military drones like the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper attack drone — on the runway of Panghyon Airbase in the country’s northwest on June 3.

Various vehicles as well as possible new installations also appear on and next to the runway in the same image, further evidence of drone flight testing.

What looks to be a new UAV appears on a runway for the first time (June 3, right) surrounded by vehicles and possibly equipment related to flight testing. Slide to compare the appearance of the same part of the runway the previous day.  (Please refresh page if images do not load.) | Images: Planet Labs (June 2 and 3, 2023), edited by NK Pro

The same aircraft appears to have been parked outside a garage to the south of the runway on June 2, imagery shows. A blueish 22 by 10 foot (7 by 3 meter) vehicle or container appeared near the likely UAV on both days.

Tarao Goo, an analyst with the Oryx and Deep Dive military blogs, told NK Pro that the presence of “special vehicles or new antennas” at the airbase would be “essential for the operation” of a UAV at the runway. Goo was first to spot an aircraft with the same look and size in front of the Panghyon garage last fall.

Kim Jong Un announced plans in Jan. 2021 to develop “unmanned striking equipment” and “reconnaissance drones” with a range of 310 miles (500 km).

READ MORE: Explainer: How North Korea is developing drones into weapons of war

DPRK state media has not offered any explicit updates on the development since then, but some small UAV models partially appeared in the background during an Oct. 2021 weapons expo in Pyongyang. 

This wider view comparison of Panghyon Airbase on May 22 and June 3 shows the movement of MiG-17 jets as well as the appearance of the likely UAV, support vehicles and runway repainting work | Images: Planet Labs, edited by NK Pro

North Korea also flew drones across the inter-Korean border into the South and even near the presidential office in Seoul in December, though the drones were not recovered and there were no indications that they were new designs.

Joseph Dempsey, research associate with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), told NK Pro that the new drone’s “size and presumed weight class would imply it ‘could’ carry munitions, but it’s questionable whether it does.”

“There are reports that a combat capacity may have been developed in the past. However that is likely to be more on the lines of a target drone dropping an unguided munition or simply carrying a warhead within in my view,” he said.

Dempsey added that Pyongyang has yet to demonstrate a capacity to develop a UAV comparable to modern combat drones “with some form of onboard targeting system” that could drop guided munitions.

Last week, top military official Ri Pyong Chol said in a statement released via state media that “various reconnaissance means” are “due to be newly tested” in addition to launching a military reconnaissance satellite in June. Goo told NK Pro that Ri may have been alluding to plans to test new drones.

North Korea attempted to launch its new “Malligyong-1” military spy satellite on May 31, but it said the launch failed due to problems with the second-stage engine.

If Ri was indeed referring to UAV development, state media may soon report on the apparent test conducted this month at Panghyon, possibly with leader Kim Jong Un present or in a less detailed report such as those on recent underwater drone tests. 

According to the latest Planet Labs imagery, workers appeared to repaint runway stripes while parking aprons on the east end of the runway were also cleared of over two dozen MiG-17 jets in late May, possibly as part of drone testing preparations or to clean up the area ahead of a high-profile visit by Kim or other military officials. 

Jets appeared on aprons in all existing Google Earth and Planet Labs high-resolution images dating back decades, indicating their removal is rare.

Edited by Bryan Betts

Updated at 5:04 p.m. KST with expert comments on the new drone.