Manila: The submersible drones discovered in Philippine waters between 2022 and 2024 are suspected to have been deployed by surface ships, according to a senior official from the Philippine Navy (PN). Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, explained the possible deployment methods during a recent inquiry.
According to Philippines News Agency, Trinidad stated that while these drones could be launched by air, a mothership, or a submarine, the fixed wings of the drones suggest they were not submarine-launched. “This could have been airdropped, but more likely, this would have been dropped by a mothership (surface ship),” Trinidad noted.
Despite their small size making detection challenging even for modern armed forces, Trinidad reassured the public that the PN is committed to safeguarding the nation’s waters. He urged Filipino fishermen and mariners to report any drone sightings promptly.
Trinidad highlighted the possibility that three out of the five drones recovered could have been deployed by China, citing a “55 to 80 percent likelihood” based on the components found inside. Some components lacked clear markings or had defaced identifiers, while others were commercially available. He mentioned that these drones have capabilities for data communication via satellite.
The drones were recovered from various locations: the first in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte in July 2022, the second off Zambales in September 2022, the third on Calayan Island, Cagayan in August 2024, the fourth in Initao, Misamis Oriental in October 2024, and the fifth in San Pascual, Masbate in December. The third drone was noted as the most intact.
All five drones underwent “Level 1” forensic examinations focusing on their physical attributes. The first and third drones included sensors for conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD), with components identified as possibly originating from China. Trinidad mentioned integrated chips and a transceiver from HWA Create, a Beijing-based company, and a China Telecom SIM card in some drones.
The fourth drone also featured CTD sensors and had a battery pack marked with “China Electronics Technology Corps.” Trinidad reported that no data could be recovered from the second drone due to its damaged state, and the fifth drone is still under analysis.
Recovered data from the intact drones primarily included bathymetric information, water depth, salinity, temperature, and sound propagation. Trinidad emphasized that these applications are relevant across fields such as academic research, commercial purposes, and military use, suggesting that the drones are likely used for underwater terrain mapping.
