Reports link the US RQ-170 stealth drone to a recent Venezuela operation involving strikes and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, according to open-source imagery and defense analysts.
rarely seen US Air Force RQ-170 Sentinel stealth unmanned aircraft has been tied by analysts to recent military activity connected with events in Venezuela.
Open-source images and video circulating on social platforms show a flying-wing drone consistent with the classified RQ-170 returning to Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico after reported US actions in Venezuelan airspace.
The UK Defence Journal reported that the low-observable UAV was spotted in the wider Caribbean region and analysts suggest it may have supported intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks linked to the operation.
Independently, AviationWeek-linked reporting noted the RQ-170’s activity aligns with the timeline of a US mission that led to the capture of Venezuela’s president, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, though the Pentagon has not confirmed its use.
The RQ-170 Sentinel is a classified platform designed for ISR in contested environments, operated by the US Air Force with a history of deployments over denied airspace.
US officials have not publicly acknowledged the drone’s operational role in Venezuela. Observers say RQ-170 activity in the region is rare and could reflect an increased reliance on stealth UAVs for intelligence ahead of complex missions.
This reporting comes amid broader US military and intelligence operations in and around Venezuela that have included precision strikes, deployment of aircraft and special operations forces. Independent news outlets have noted the operation involved a wide range of air assets.
