Iran has made great progress in building different types of drones and helicopters and can export them to foreign countries, a senior official said.

Secretary of the headquarters for the development of technology in Aerial and Aerospace Industries affiliated to the Scientific and Technological Department of the Presidential Office Manouchehr Manteqi made the remarks in an interview with Fars News Agency (FNA).

“Iran can stand on its feet in manufacturing drones and has a relatively desirable situation in the production of helicopters,” Manteqi said.

He added that mass-production of drones and helicopters by Iranian experts has turned the country into an exporter of the two strategic products.

Iran has made great achievements in developing drones and missiles after the Islamic Revolution, FNA added.

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh underlined in November Iran’s major advances in designing and manufacturing different state-of-the-art drones.

“We are even ahead of the top world powers in the drones sector and we are way ahead of them,” General Hajizadeh said, addressing a ceremony in the Northern city of Qazvin.

He described Iran as the top regional power in the sector, saying that the country had been able to develop different types of home-made missiles as well.

“The young Iranian people have managed to put the country at the peak of power with their excellent ideas in the radar, missile and drone sectors,” General Hajizadeh said.

Also, Iranian Army Airborne Commander General Yousef Qorbani underlined in 2018 that Iran is among the pioneering states in developing helicopters with the capability of fighting electronic warfare, targeting guided missiles, interception of targets from distance and using cruise missiles.