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Drone-Related Injuries Among Deployed U.S. Military Personnel, 2023-2024
Jessamyn E Boltz1,2, Amber L Dougherty1,2, James D Wallace3,4
1Epidemiology and Data Management Support Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA 92106, United States.
Introduction:
The proliferation of drone warfare is a significant threat to U.S. forces. Research on drone-related injuries is critically needed to prepare military healthcare providers for combat casualty care. The study objective was to assess wounding patterns among U.S. service members injured in drone attacks during deployment in the Central Command area of operations in 2023-2024.
Materials And Methods:
Service members with drone-related injuries were identified in the Expeditionary Medical Encounter Database. Injuries were assessed using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) codes. Service members were grouped by their maximum AIS score in any body region as minor (MAIS 1), moderate (MAIS 2), or serious injury (MAIS 3+). Differences between groups were assessed by AIS body region. This study was approved by the Naval Health Research Center Institutional Review Board.
Results:
A total of 367 service members were wounded in drone attacks during the study period. Approximately 48.5% had a traumatic brain injury. Of 710 injuries identified, most were minor (92.3%) and primarily involved the head and neck region (81.0%), followed by extremities (13.5%). Most injuries with moderate or higher severity (n = 53) were to the head (43.4%), thorax (18.9%), and upper extremities (15.1%). Those in the moderate (MAIS 2) compared with minor (MAIS 1) injury group had significantly higher proportions of thorax (45.8% vs. 1.5%) and spine injuries (20.8% vs. 4.2%), respectively.
Conclusions:
U.S. forces injured during drone attacks most frequently sustained head injuries, marking a significant shift in wounding patterns from previous conflicts characterized by lower extremity trauma. Results suggest a dual preparedness strategy is needed for combat casualty care to manage a high volume of minor head injuries while retaining advanced surgical capabilities for less frequent but serious head and upper body trauma. Further research on wounding patterns and a re-evaluation of personal protective equipment are essential as drone warfare continues to evolve.
