Inside a cavernous hangar next to Bogotá’s international airport, military officers are testing a new weapon: a Colombian-made drone that can carry up to 18 pounds of explosives.

“It’s a tactical drone that’s easy for troops to carry but one that also has a lot of firepower,” says Colombian Air Force Col. Andrés Talavera, who is overseeing the test flight.

The drone is the latest salvo in the government’s battle against guerrillas and drug-traffickers. But although unmanned aerial vehicles have become vital weapons in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East, Colombia is a late comer to drone warfare.