Malaysia -- Drone / UAS Inventory
Last Updated: 2026-03-29 | Next Review Due: 2026-04-29
Last updated: 2026-03-28
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED // OSINT
Source ratings per: SOURCE_RATING.md
Overview
Malaysia's military drone fleet is relatively small, focused on tactical ISR for border surveillance (especially the Sabah/Sarawak jungle border with Indonesia and the Sulu Sea piracy zone), maritime patrol, and counter-terrorism. Systems are sourced from the US (ScanEagle), domestically produced (CTRM Aerostar), and Israeli/other origins. The domestic drone industry is growing through CTRM (Composites Technology Research Malaysia) and other firms.
Domestic / Licensed Production
CTRM Aerostar
| Field | Detail |
|---|
| Designation | Aerostar |
| Type | Tactical MALE UAV |
| Manufacturer | CTRM (Malaysian company) under license from Aeronautics Ltd (Israel) |
| Origin | Israel (design) / Malaysia (production) |
| Wingspan | ~8.7 m |
| MTOW | ~230 kg |
| Endurance | ~12 hours |
| Ceiling | ~18,000 ft |
| Speed | ~185 km/h |
| Payload | EO/IR day/night, laser designator, SAR |
| Armament | None (ISR) |
| Status | In service with Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF); produced locally by CTRM |
| Combat use | Border surveillance (Sabah), maritime patrol, East Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) operations |
| EOD relevance | Low -- unarmed ISR |
| Sources | CTRM official (A-2), Aeronautics Ltd (A-2), SIPRI (B-2), Jane's (B-2) |
Aludra (CTRM)
| Field | Detail |
|---|
| Designation | Aludra |
| Type | Tactical ISR UAV |
| Manufacturer | CTRM |
| Origin | Malaysia |
| Wingspan | ~4.0 m (estimated) |
| MTOW | ~50 kg |
| Endurance | ~4-6 hours |
| Payload | EO/IR |
| Armament | None |
| Status | In limited service with Malaysian Army |
| EOD relevance | Low -- small unarmed ISR |
| Sources | CTRM (A-3), Malaysian defense press (C-3) |
Imported Systems
Insitu ScanEagle
| Field | Detail |
|---|
| Designation | ScanEagle |
| Type | Small tactical ISR UAV |
| Manufacturer | Insitu (Boeing) |
| Origin | United States |
| Wingspan | ~3.1 m |
| MTOW | ~22 kg |
| Endurance | ~24+ hours |
| Launch | SuperWedge pneumatic catapult |
| Recovery | SkyHook wire-capture |
| Payload | EO/IR |
| Armament | None |
| Malaysian service | Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN); maritime patrol, anti-piracy |
| Combat use | Used in ESSCOM maritime security operations (Sulu-Celebes Sea) |
| EOD relevance | Low -- small unarmed platform |
| Sources | US FMS records (A-1), Boeing/Insitu (A-1), Malaysian MoD (A-2) |
Chinese Imports (Reported)
| Field | Detail |
|---|
| Systems | Reports of interest in Chinese UCAV systems (CH-series, Wing Loong); concrete acquisition not confirmed in open source |
| Commercial | Chinese commercial drones (DJI) widely used by Malaysian security forces for tactical ISR |
| EOD relevance | Low unless armed UCAV acquired |
| Sources | Malaysian defense press (C-3), DSA exhibition coverage (C-3), SIPRI (B-3) |
EOD-Specific Threat Summary
| Priority | System | Key hazard |
|---|
| Low | All current Malaysian drone systems | Unarmed ISR platforms; battery and fuel hazards only |
| Moderate (future) | Chinese UCAV (if acquired) | Armed UCAV munitions |
Sources Summary
| Source | Rating | Notes |
|---|
| Malaysian MoD / MAF official | A-2 | Selective disclosure |
| US FMS records | A-1 | ScanEagle confirmed |
| CTRM / Aeronautics Ltd | A-2 | Manufacturer data |
| SIPRI | B-2 | Israeli transfers tracked |
| Jane's | B-2 | Limited Malaysia detail |
| DSA (Defence Services Asia) exhibition coverage | C-2 | Biennial show |
| Malaysian defense press | C-3 | Small community |