On May 6, 2026, the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC) confirmed the recovery of a crashed, unexploded FPV drone-based improvised loitering munition approximately 5.4 km from Comando Aéreo de Transporte Militar (CATAM) Air Base, west of Bogotá, within the broader perimeter of El Dorado International Airport, the busiest passenger airport in Latin America, and near strategic aviation infrastructure. The wreckage was located following intelligence obtained during an investigation originating in Popayán, Cauca Department, southwestern Colombia, linked to FARC dissident activity. According to FAC reporting, the UAV had crashed several days earlier near the Bogotá aeronautical complex.
The incident highlights the ongoing evolution of weaponized UAV capabilities among Colombian armed groups, marked by a rapid shift from the COTS armed UAVs observed during 2023–2024 to FPV drone-based improvised loitering munitions equipped with fiber-optic guidance systems. At the same time, improvised aerial munitions have progressed from familiar lightweight PVC-cased bomblets to heavier, more lethal designs derived from mortar rounds.
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