The tiny aircraft can be fired from a 40mm grenade launcher and be hand thrown as well. 1 minute read British Army troops stationed in Mali are using mini-drones that can be fired from grenade launchers and are designed to carry a range of payloads. Developed by Australian firm DefendTex, “several hundred” Drone40s have been handed over to a British Army contingent posted in the West African country as part of Operation Newcombe, Overt Defense reported. Newcombe is a British Army operation providing logistical support for Operation Barkhane, a French-led regional counter-terrorism effort providing peacekeeping options to the United Nation’s Mali mission.