A total of 20 cases of drone crashes and malfunction took place at a key military unit overseeing unmanned vehicle operations since its launch last year, a lawmaker said Friday. The Drone Operations Command reported four drone crashes due to engine and sensor issues, 10 cases of engine malfunction, and six cases of damage during landing since September last year, according to Huh Young, a lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party. Huh called for more efforts to develop the command, pointing out the deficiencies in operational safety and variety in its drone models. The command currently field operates only a single drone model -- a small-sized reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle -- that costs about 30 million won (US$22,200) per unit, according to Huh. South Korea established the Drone Operations Command last year to step up the use of the unmanned assets and to bolster counter-drone measures after five North Korean drones intruded across the inter-Korean border in December 2022. Source: Yonh ap News Agency