Global Drone Power Index

Data-driven comparison of military drone capabilities across the world's major drone powers. Scored on fleet size, technology, endurance, strike power, global reach, and diversity.

Last updated: 2026-03-01

Drone Power Leaderboard

1
🇺🇸
United States
91
/ 100
2
🇮🇱
Israel
77
/ 100
3
🇨🇳
China
63
/ 100
4
🇹🇷
Turkey
59
/ 100
5
🇷🇺
Russia
48
/ 100
6
🇮🇷
Iran
42
/ 100

Metric Breakdown

CountryFleetTechEndurancePayloadReachDiversityScore
🇺🇸 United States15,0009.5/1027h1700 kg9.5/109.5/1091
🇮🇱 Israel2,5009/1036h2000 kg7.5/109/1077
🇨🇳 China7,0008/1020h1000 kg7/108.5/1063
🇹🇷 Turkey1,5007.5/1024h1350 kg7/108/1059
🇷🇺 Russia2,0006/1018h1000 kg6/106.5/1048
🇮🇷 Iran3,0005.5/1016h400 kg6.5/107/1042

Capability Radar

TechnologyStrikeEnduranceReachDiversity
United States
Israel
China

Fleet Composition

🇺🇸United States
Recon35%
Strike25%
Loitering Munition10%
Strategic ISR15%
Micro UAV10%
Naval UAV5%
🇮🇱Israel
Recon25%
Strike20%
Loitering Munition20%
Strategic ISR15%
Micro UAV15%
Naval UAV5%
🇨🇳China
Recon30%
Strike30%
Loitering Munition10%
Strategic ISR15%
Micro UAV10%
Naval UAV5%
🇹🇷Turkey
Recon20%
Strike35%
Loitering Munition15%
Strategic ISR10%
Micro UAV15%
Naval UAV5%
🇷🇺Russia
Recon35%
Strike25%
Loitering Munition15%
Strategic ISR10%
Micro UAV10%
Naval UAV5%
🇮🇷Iran
Recon15%
Strike25%
Loitering Munition35%
Strategic ISR5%
Micro UAV15%
Naval UAV5%

Flagship Drone Comparison

🇺🇸United States

MQ-9 Reaper

Strike / ISR
Range
1,850 km
Endurance
27h
Speed
482 km/h
Payload
1700 kg

RQ-4 Global Hawk

Strategic Surveillance
Range
22,780 km
Endurance
34h
Speed
629 km/h
Payload
1360 kg

MQ-4C Triton

Maritime Surveillance
Range
15,186 km
Endurance
24h
Speed
611 km/h
Payload
1452 kg
🇮🇱Israel

Heron TP (Eitan)

Strategic ISR / Strike
Range
7,400 km
Endurance
36h
Speed
370 km/h
Payload
2000 kg

Hermes 900

Tactical ISR / Strike
Range
2,500 km
Endurance
36h
Speed
220 km/h
Payload
350 kg
🇨🇳China

Wing Loong II

Strike / ISR
Range
4,000 km
Endurance
20h
Speed
370 km/h
Payload
480 kg

CH-5 Rainbow

Strike / ISR
Range
6,500 km
Endurance
60h
Speed
300 km/h
Payload
1000 kg
🇹🇷Turkey

Bayraktar TB2

Tactical Strike / ISR
Range
300 km
Endurance
27h
Speed
220 km/h
Payload
150 kg

Bayraktar Akinci

Strategic Strike / ISR
Range
6,500 km
Endurance
24h
Speed
361 km/h
Payload
1350 kg
🇷🇺Russia

Orion (Inokhodets)

Strike / ISR
Range
300 km
Endurance
24h
Speed
200 km/h
Payload
200 kg

Altius-RU (Altair)

Strategic ISR / Strike
Range
10,000 km
Endurance
48h
Speed
250 km/h
Payload
1000 kg
🇮🇷Iran

Shahed-129

MALE UCAV
Range
1,700 km
Endurance
24h
Speed
200 km/h
Payload
400 kg

Mohajer-10

Strategic UCAV
Range
2,000 km
Endurance
24h
Speed
210 km/h
Payload
300 kg

Drone Development Timeline

1995
RQ-1 Predator enters service🇺🇸 United States
2001
First armed Predator strike (Afghanistan)🇺🇸 United States
2001
RQ-4 Global Hawk operational🇺🇸 United States
2007
MQ-9 Reaper operational deployment🇺🇸 United States
2010
Heron TP (Eitan) enters IAF service🇮🇱 Israel
2012
Shahed-129 first flight🇮🇷 Iran
2014
Wing Loong I enters mass export🇨🇳 China
2015
Bayraktar TB2 first operational use🇹🇷 Turkey
2017
Wing Loong II first export deliveries🇨🇳 China
2020
TB2 dominates Nagorno-Karabakh war🇹🇷 Turkey
2020
Orion drone enters Russian service🇷🇺 Russia
2022
Iran supplies Shahed-136 to Russia for Ukraine war🇮🇷 Iran
2022
TB2 widely used in early Ukraine defense🇹🇷 Turkey
2023
China deploys WZ-8 hypersonic reconnaissance drone🇨🇳 China
2024
Iran launches 170+ Shahed drones at Israel (True Promise 1)🇮🇷 Iran
2025
AI-autonomous drone swarms enter testing (US, China, Israel)🇺🇸 United States
2026
Iran deploys 1000+ drones in True Promise 3-4🇮🇷 Iran

Scoring Methodology

The Drone Power Score is a composite metric calculated from six normalized factors. Each factor is weighted according to its strategic importance:

Fleet Size20%
Operational drone count
Technology Level25%
AI, sensors, stealth, SATCOM
Endurance15%
Average flight duration
Strike Capability20%
Max payload capacity
Global Reach10%
Operational deployment regions
Diversity10%
Drone role coverage