Two intelligence officials say the drone fired missiles at a vehicle that was traveling from a militant hideout in the Shawal area toward the border.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters, said the dead militants have not yet been identified.
Pakistan's army meanwhile says warplanes targeted militant hideouts in the Datta Khel area, killing 10 militants, including foreign fighters, and destroying a large cache of arms and ammunition.