FPV drone downs Myanmar MI-17 military helicopter VIDEO

A Myanmar military helicopter was shot down by a kamikaze drone during a supply mission near the city of Bhamo, according to local sources. A second helicopter on the same mission was forced to make an emergency landing in a nearby rural area.

The incident involved two Mi-17 helicopters of the Myanmar army, which were delivering supplies to the 21st Military Operations Command—an outpost allegedly cut off from ground access due to ongoing conflict. One of the helicopters crashed into a forest area after being struck by a drone, while the other landed in the countryside outside Bhamo, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

FPV Drone, Mi-17 vurdu

— Myanmar Ordusu’na ait bir Mi-17 Genel Maksat Helikopteri, bir Fiber Optik Kablolu Kamikaze FPV Drone kullanılarak vuruldu.

— Bir pilotun yara aldığı veya öldüğü iddia ediliyor.

pic.twitter.com/UdONJo9qgV

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) May 22, 2025

The attack was allegedly carried out by a fibre-optic controlled First Person View (FPV) drone carrying a high explosive warhead. Such drones can be guided in real time, allowing operators to target aircraft at low altitudes with high precision.

Casualty details remain unclear, though local sources suggest that at least one pilot may have been injured or killed.

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an armed ethnic group active in northern Myanmar, is believed to be behind the operation. Due to escalating conflict and restricted land movement in the region, military supply routes have increasingly relied on air transport—making helicopters a high-value target.

The use of FPV drones in Myanmar reflects a growing trend in modern warfare, where relatively low-cost, high-precision technology is being used against conventional military equipment. This incident resembles a recent case in Ukraine, where a similar drone was used to down a helicopter mid-air, marking a significant shift in drone warfare tactics.

By Sabina Mammadli