Sci-Fi AI Drones, Cheap Warfare Near, Expert Warns

KAIST professor Shim Hyun-chul warns that cost-effective drone warfare is becoming central to modern conflicts, citing the U.S.-Israel-Iran fighting and Ukraine as examples where cheap attack drones and swarm tactics can neutralize expensive platforms like aircraft carriers or air-defence systems.

“EnglishIndustry Sci-Fi AI Drones, Cheap Warfare Near, Expert Warns KAIST Professor Shim Hyun-chul highlights cost-effective drone warfare's rise and South Korea's lag behind global rivals By Choi Won-woo Published 2026”

The Chosun Daily

Shim, who has researched drone-versus-drone combat since 2013 and won the world’s first autonomous drone racing competition hosted by IROS in 2016 and placed third in a Lockheed Martin drone AI competition in 2018, said the era of 'asymmetric warfare' has begun where a 30 million won drone can deplete interception missiles worth tens of billions of won.

The Chosun Daily

He told the newspaper in a phone interview on the 9th that 'the day when AI drones autonomously track and attack humans, or robot soldiers are deployed in ground battles—as seen in science fiction—is not far off.'

Shim emphasised the cost asymmetry by comparing a 30 million to 70 million won drone with Patriot missiles that cost from 4 billion to 7 billion won to intercept them, saying arithmetically the price of one missile could launch over 100 drones.

He argued that militaries prioritising efficiency will adopt such tactics, and he warned that international vigilance toward AI military use is loosening as perceptions shift toward accepting AI as more efficient than humans.

The Chosun Daily

Shim noted the UN continues discussions on banning autonomous lethal weapons but added that 'the U.S. has shown that warring parties prioritizing efficiency can ignore international agreements at any time.'

Shim described wider global developments, saying Iran leads in drone warfare with cheap drones from defence firm Shahed and that North Korea 'recently announced it developed an attack drone similar to the Shahed-136,' which he said likely improved North Korea's proficiency with lessons from the Ukraine war and possible technology transfers from Russia.

“EnglishIndustry Sci-Fi AI Drones, Cheap Warfare Near, Expert Warns KAIST Professor Shim Hyun-chul highlights cost-effective drone warfare's rise and South Korea's lag behind global rivals By Choi Won-woo Published 2026”

The Chosun Daily

He warned that Russia may have transferred Iranian drone technology to North Korea and noted North Korea has secured a substantial number of drones and is improving their performance.

Shim contrasted those developments with U.S. scrutiny of medium- to long-range missiles while drone technology has advanced to the world's highest level.

Shim said South Korea has the technical potential to rank among the global top five in drones but lags behind China due to economies of scale, slow administrative procedures, and bureaucracy; he warned that lifecycle changes occur every six months while domestic radio certification and flight approval take one to two years, leaving technology obsolete by the time approvals arrive.

He highlighted China's rapid growth and DJI's 70–80% global market dominance, and he said South Korea's best-made drones cost 400,000–500,000 won compared to similar-performance Chinese drones selling for 200,000 won, making competition difficult.

The Chosun Daily

Shim also warned that many South Korean military drones rely on Chinese-made core components like motors and speed controllers, raising concerns about security vulnerabilities in emergencies.