Updated – see below
We’ve added details of another 21 crashes to our drone crash database for the first half of 2022 – although 14 of them occurred in the context of the on-going war in Ukraine, so many will have likely been shot down.
It’s important to be aware that we only include larger (Class II and Class III) drones in our database, typified by medium altitude/long endurance drones like the Reaper MQ-9 and Bayraktar TB2. There have been dozens of verified reports of smaller drones being shot down or crashing in that conflict but they are outside the scope of our study. However, it is extremely likely that other large drones have also crashed/been shot down in that conflict but have not been verified.
In addition, as we regularly try to explain, there are many crashes of large drones that simply aren’t made public and so don’t make it into our database. More on this below.
Ukraine
As in any armed conflict, there is a significant amount of disinformation and confusion surrounding on-going events. We are only including details of large drone crashes that have been verified – primarily through use of images. @robLee, @UAVTracker and @Oryx have done sterling work detailing on-going events. Significantly, older Soviet-era reconnaissance drones have also been pressed into service by both sides, with indications that they may be being used as ‘flying missiles’. One of these flew off course, crossing several European borders before crashing in the Croatian capital, Zagreb. Both Russia and Ukraine have denied responsibility. In a similar case, a Ukrainian operated Bayraktar TB2 went off course and ended up crashing off the coast of Romania.
Large UAVs crashed/shot down relating to Russia/Ukraine war (till 30th June)
| Date | Operator | Drone type | Details/source | Location |
| Jun 28, 2022 | Ukraine | Tu-143 Reys | Mid-flight (shot down) | Russia |
| May 10, 2022 | Russian | Tu-141 Strizh | Mid-flight (shot down?) | Ukraine |
| May 7, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight | Romania |
| May 1, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight (shot down?) | Ukraine |
| Apr 27, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight (shot down?) | Russia |
| Apr 27, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight (shot down?) | Russia |
| Apr 25, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight (shot down?) | Russia |
| Apr 12, 2022 | Ukraine | Tu-143 Reys | Mid-flight (shot down) | Ukraine |
| Apr 7, 2022 | Russia | Inokhodets (Orion) | Mid-flight (shot down?) | Ukraine |
| Apr 2, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight (shot down) | Ukraine |
| Mar 30, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight (shot down) | Ukraine |
| Mar 17, 2022 | Ukraine | Bayraktar TB2 | Mid-flight (shot down) | Ukraine |
| Mar 11, 2022 | Russia | Forpost | Mid-flight (shot down?) | Ukraine |
| Mar 10, 2022 | ? | Tu-141 Strizh | Mid-flight | Croatia |
Elsewhere, during the first six months of 2022, large drones operated by the US, India, France, Saudi Arabia and Philippines air forces have crashed or been shot down. The variety of operators and types of UAVs crashing gives an indication of how difficult it is to operate these systems. Remotely controlling aircraft is incredibly complex and a huge variety of problems can arise leading to an abrupt termination of the flight, including mechanical issue, electrical failure, lost-communication link, weather problems and human error. Read more