BANGKOK — Myanmar’s military junta is increasingly deploying commercially available paramotors and gyrocopters as improvised aerial weapons in its ongoing civil war, according to a comprehensive report by human rights organization Fortify Rights. These low-tech aircraft enable forces to conduct surprise attacks on civilian populations and anti-government militias across central Myanmar’s flat terrain.
The documented use of paramotors (motorized paragliders) emerged in early 2024, with gyrocopters (ultralight rotorcraft) joining the arsenal by March 2024. Pilots manually drop mortar shells from these aircraft, often cutting engines during final approach for silent, undetected attacks. The organization verified through eyewitness interviews that these tactics have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including a October attack that killed 24 protesters at a candlelight vigil in Sagaing region.
Analysts note these cheap, operable-from-field aircraft provide strategic advantages despite vulnerability to sophisticated defenses. They carry 30-40 shells for three-hour missions, allowing the military to preserve advanced aircraft for border conflicts while dominating central lowlands where opposition forces lack aerial defense capabilities.
The escalation coincides with the junta’s contested electoral process, with attacks intensifying during voting periods that critics describe as legitimacy-building exercises. Fortify Rights documented 304 paramotor/gyrocopter attacks on civilians between December 2024 and January 2026, though conflict databases suggest approximately 350 total incidents involving these aircraft during this period.
Despite territorial gains by ethnic minority groups and pro-democracy forces, the persistent aerial threat demonstrates ongoing challenges in protecting civilians. While China and Russia continue military supplies to Myanmar, other nations maintain sanctions that Amnesty International reports are being circumvented by ‘ghost ships’ smuggling aviation fuel with disabled tracking systems.
Human rights organizations are urging strengthened sanctions enforcement specifically targeting components for these aerial weapons, emphasizing the need to prevent the Myanmar military from adapting commercial technology for warfare against civilians.