World leaders are marching us toward an uncertain era of new warfare — fast.
Drones are Changing How Wars Harm Civilians
Drones are rapidly changing war. Without global action, their use will lead to greater civilian harm and expand human suffering in conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions: International humanitarian law and the use of drones in armed conflict
The use of uncrewed vehicles in armed conflicts has grown significantly in recent years, raising humanitarian, legal, operational and security concerns. Armed remotely piloted aircraft – commonly known as “drones” – are now central to many military operations. While most drones are unarmed and used for surveillance or civilian purposes (such as disaster response, mapping or aid delivery), public debate has largely focused on armed drones and their impact on civilians.
The shifting battlefield: technology, tactics, and the risk of blurring lines in warfare - Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog
The accelerating integration of emerging technologies into armed conflict is transforming not only the tools of war, but its tactics, geography, participants and impact. Technological developments – from commercial drones to artificial intelligence, electronic warfare to the military use of civilian infrastructure – risk undermining boundaries between military and civilian domains. These changes challenge long-held...
What’s wrong with drones?
[Updated in October 2015] Preamble: Are drones different? While some insist that armed unmanned drones are effectively no different from other military aircraft, there are two important differences…
Are All Wars Now Drone Wars?
From Sudan to Ukraine, UAVs have upended warfighting tactics and become one of the most destructive weapons of conflict.
Sorry kid, drones are for war now
DJI is banned in the United States and nobody is coming to save you.
The ungoverned sky: Drones and the domestic extremist threat
The combination of easy accessibility and payload potential, and the limitations of domestic counter-drone systems, presents a growing challenge.
Militaries are drone-happy but populations are living in terror
What governments are hailing as the future, ordinary civilians from Ukraine to Congo call harbingers of death and destruction
New Quick Reaction Force Will Counter Military Base Drone Incursions
Soon, teams of counter-drone experts and sensors, electronic warfare systems, and drone interceptors will rush to bases being swarmed by drones.
Recent Developments in Drone Threats to Humanitarians
The threat of drones to humanitarians is a rising concern. High-profile incidents—such as the fatal multiple-strike attack on an aid convoy in Gaza in April 2024—have made this dynamic an even greater priority for risk managers.Global data on this emerging threat is currently defined by the rapid increase and volume of drone attacks perpetrated by Russian forces in Ukraine, and to a lesser extent, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). In other contexts, like Sudan, Iraq, and Syria, governments are also the primary perpetrators of drone incidents. Nonetheless, the list of drone operators in complex humanitarian settings has increased and diversified since 2022, particularly among organised armed groups (OAGs), driving further interest within the humanitarian community.
On the Horizon: The Ukraine War and the Evolving Threat of Drone Terrorism - Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Abstract: This article analyzes the evolution of terrorist drone usage and forecasts its future trajectory in light of the tactical and technological innovations emerging from the Russo-Ukrainian War. The conflict has become a critical “innovation hub” for drone warfare, accelerating advancements in the scale, speed, and range of drone operations. These developments are not only … Continued
‘I always hear them before I see them’: Drones strike fear in Colombia
Armed groups have taken the conflict to the skies by making greater use of cheap, widely available drone technology.
In Ukraine, a New Arsenal of Killer A.I. Drones Is Being Born
As the war grinds on, sophisticated Russian defenses have pushed Ukraine to develop a frightening new weapon: semiautonomous killing machines.
Drones in the African Battlespaces
C/O Futures Book ReviewLisa J. Campbell22 May 2026Addressing in their book an increasingly prescient topic, the co-editors of Drones in the African Battlespaces, have a background of research in security policy, defense, and global arms concerns. Wayne Stephen Coetzee, a senior lecturer in Political Science at the International Programme in Politics and Economics at the University West in Sweden, has focused his research on security politics, emphasizing the interactions between public and priva
Massachusetts Cops Are Increasingly Monitoring Drones, But At What Cost?
As police and civilian drone usage climbs despite a lack of clear guidelines and changing rules, authorities, advocates, and amateurs struggle to keep a close watch on each other Although drones are seemingly suddenly everywhere these days, they have been floating above us for more than a century, and actually made their debut shortly after […]
