# South African forces retrieve crashed  UN peacekeeping Falco Evo drone

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/11/south-african-forces-retrieve-crashed-un-peacekeeping-falco-evo-drone/
- Published: 2022-11-10T08:49:31+01:00
- Author: Kazim Abdul

Personnel of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has retrieved a Falco
Evo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operated by the United Nations Stabilisation Mission
in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco) that crashed last week.

[The Falco Evo drone (UN897) crashed in Virunga National Park, eastern DRC on 4 November](https://www.military.africa/2022/11/monusco-loses-selex-es-falco-evo-drone-in-drc/),
and was located by the community locals.

> [MONUSCO loses Selex ES Falco Evo drone in DRC](https://www.military.africa/2022/11/monusco-loses-selex-es-falco-evo-drone-in-drc/)

South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers deployed with Monusco forces
retrieves the drone, which was transported by a South African Air Force (SAAF) Oryx
helicopter back to Beni.

Lieutenant General Marcos de Sá Affonso da Costa, Monusco Force Commander, said 
on his official Twitter account that he was grateful to the military unit that facilitated
the recovery of the aircraft.

“The drone was on a reconnaissance air mission when it developed a mechanical problem,”
he stated.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The Falco EVO is an all-weather, persistent-surveillance, unmanned aerial vehicle(
UAV) produced by Leonardo-Finmeccanica (formerly SELEX ES).

Selex ES supplied a Falco Evo unmanned air system to support UN peacekeeping operations
in the Democratic Republic of Congo, under a five-year contract.

ADVERTISEMENT

Drones under MONUSCO are routinely tasked to support the protection of civilians,
monitor illegal Armed Groups and observe humanitarian aid convoy.

### _Related_