TEHRAN, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran started on Wednesday two-day large-scale drone maneuvers involving different army units, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

   On the first day of the war game, the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) manufactured by the Iranian army and the Defense Ministry successfully carried out reconnaissance and monitoring missions in border areas and in international waters, said the drills' spokesman Mahmoud Mousavi.

   The missions were conducted by Yasir, Sadeq, Pelican, Ababil-3, Yazdan and Mohajer-6 drones, which are only a small part of Iran's drone capabilities, he added.

   The central headquarters of the war game is located in the province of Isfahan, according to the IRIB news agency.

   Speaking to IRIB on Tuesday, Mousavi said more than 150 drones, including underground ones, will be tested in the drills.

   Omid (Hope) stealth drone and the Karrar-class UAV, both capable of being equipped with different kinds of bombs and rockets, are among the UAVs to be assessed in the exercises, he added.

   Habibollah Sayyari, the Iranian army's deputy chief for coordination and the drills' commander, told the official news agency IRNA that the drones' accuracy, power, flight endurance, control and guidance systems, and combat capabilities will be evaluated in the exercises.

   The other goals include transferring experience to the army's young forces, practising the learnings, and increasing the armed forces' preparedness in the face of potential threats, he said.

   The exercises are expected to be carried out in an area covering the country's southern waters as well as eastern, western and northern regions, Sayyari added.  Enditem