Small flying machines, including motorized paragliders and gyrocopters, have become weapons of war in Myanmar as the military conducts almost daily attacks on rebel-held territory. These lightweight recreational aircraft are cheaper and quieter than traditional bombers, allowing the military to launch surprise bombings on civilian areas. The military has used them in more than 1,600 bombing raids in the past 20 months, according to rebel groups.

The attacks have killed over 100,000 people and displaced 3.7 million, with the UN estimating over 12 million face acute food shortages. A devastating attack in October 2025 killed dozens during a Buddhist festival in Chaung U township, where survivors had no time to react. "In other countries, people feel happy and excited when they see a paramotor," said Moe Gyi, a guerrilla fighter. "But in our country, they have become weapons used to kill people."

Following the 2021 coup, the military brutally suppressed peaceful protests, leading to civil war with rebel groups and ethnic armed organizations. The junta has increasingly relied on these cheap, hard-to-target aircraft to bomb civilian targets repeatedly. A junta spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment on these attacks.