Drones-
The Development of Artificial Warfare
by Aleksandr
D. Corn
Introduction
In the domain of what is known as
information technology, a relative newcomer to the field of cyber-security and
cyber-warfare is the controversial and oft-maligned drone. Known also as a UAV,
or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, these newcomers have made a huge impact on the
globe in the last few years since they have gained fame. In this essay,
regarding the development and impact of drones on the world at large, the ethical,
legal, and social concerns of their usage and background will be covered, as
well as the benefits they provide and what is to come in the future. But
firstly, a look into the origins of this technology is needed, so as to better
understand them.
Background
In what would undoubtedly surprise many
of those more inclined to imagine the stealthy, sleek predators of the modern
era, the first UAV was in all actuality used by the Austrian military during
the siege of Venice in 1849. Balloons, loaded with explosives and set adrift
towards the city, were used to drop bombs onto Venice. While the end result was
a disaster for the Austrian military, it still showcased the ability to use an
unmanned craft to accomplish a specific mission (Naughton, 2003). Development of
UAV’s continued to evolve throughout the years, up until the first recorded use
of a predator drone by the U.S. Government in 2002. This marked the beginning
of a new era in combat and unmanned warfare, which continues to this day (Sifton,
2012). However, just as the drone has evolved, so has the variety of tasks it
can accomplish, and the benefits it can provide the world.
Potential
Benefits
Whilst the news today focuses on the
negative impact and uses of the UAV, there are is a vast range of benefits they
provide that is largely ignored. One of the most prominent pro-UAV arguments
circulating the globe is the fact that by using unmanned vehicles, safety for
the pilots and operators is increased drastically. By using these drones to
carry out reconnaissance missions or to take out terrorists, the chance of an
accident akin to the Cold War disaster of 1960, when pilot Gary Powers was shot
down and captured by Russian military forces, is totally negated (May-July
1960: The U-2 Airplane Incident, 1960). Admittedly, while intelligence and
footage can still be recovered from the downed craft, the pilot’s life is never
in danger. Furthermore, the drone has an ability to operate in any environment
on earth that other aircraft can operate in, allowing it to perform a huge
variety of tasks and operations that could be potentially dangerous for any
pilot. Not only does the drone protect human life in this way, but it can also
be used to watch over borders, search for suspects during police operations,
conduct research and archaeological surveillance, and even perform geographic
mapping (Henriques, 2014). What’s more, the uses of the drone could easily
expand to even more roles as time passes. Soon, news helicopters may be
replaced by drones to provide traffic updates without having to fund a
helicopter, pilot, and video equipment, and films may be shot using footage
gathered through a drone’s camera lenses.
Legal
and Ethical Issues
However, while the UAV can provide huge
benefits to the modern world by easing costs and allaying safety concerns, they
also have a reputation for being used to kill or destroy targets, primarily
during military operations. The question is asked, time and again, about
whether it is ethical or not to take a human life with an unmanned vehicle.
Questions concerning the legality of drone warfare plague the development of
these systems. Furthermore, many critics remain unconvinced that civilian and
police versions are both legal and safe to use. Chad Brock, a member of the
American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, echoes many critics’ concerns when
he points out that police versions could be used to illegally spy on U.S.
Citizens and infringe upon their right to privacy (Chirico, 2013). While
nominally this would be impossible, experiences with the invasion of these
rights by the NSA have led many to side with this view, and oppose the use of
Drones domestically.
Security
Concerns
Another question posed towards pro-UAV
groups is the question of drones being used by other military groups and
possibly terrorists. According to Bergen and Schneider (2014), “…Hezbollah, the
militant Shiite group that is headquartered in Lebanon, reportedly used drones to
bomb a building…”, which indicates the ability for a terrorist organization to
attack targets, and access technologies roughly equivalent to those of the
United States. Beyond the implications of the possibility of terrorist attacks
utilizing drones, thought must also be spared towards the possibility of those
that are unstable/deranged acquiring such a device and using it to commit mass
acts of destruction. It would be foolish to argue that it is possible to keep
track of every military, civilian, and police drone in existence at any given
point, and even were it possible, who is to say hackers and viruses won’t cause
malfunctions or major damage? Considerations and questions such as these play a
major role in the utilization of the UAV.
Social
Issues
Beyond the issues posed in the legality
and security fields, social opinion will challenge the use of these relative
newcomers to the field. Drones have long been associated with the deaths of
innocent civilians, most famously in the bombing of 30 plus civilians in Yemen
(Ross, 2014). Attacks such as these lead to justifiable fear amongst the
civilian population. What if, some may ask, the same were to happen
domestically, in the case of Police utilizing UAV’s? With that said, they do
provide the aforementioned benefits, such as the safety of soldiers and
operators, and the adaptability to a large variety of roles.
Further
Research
In order to fully understand the
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, one must also take into account the new developments
in technology and research that will undoubtedly come as time passes. New
systems are being developed as drones are deployed, and software and system
upgrades will continue to make these drones safer and smarter. Programs will
become harder to decrypt and hack, Routines will be established to minimize the
potential for accidents to occur, and accessibility will undoubtedly be
restricted to according organizations. Already, new drones are being developed
to replace those in use and augment the repertoire of tasks it can accomplish.
For example, A “Parcelcopter” is in development for use by DHL to deliver
medicine and goods to the German island of Juist (Zolfagharifard, 2014). This
would be the first example of a commercial delivery by drone, and shows the
usefulness and adaptability of these machines.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, the drone, or UAV, is a new technology being developed and used for
the 21st century. While infamous for its use in warfare, these
drones, with the right research, could change the world for the better. In
order to, many hurdles of the social, legal, and ethical aspects must be
overcome, along with concerns over security. But so long as the new
developments that will undoubtedly come in the future are aimed to make smarter
and safer drones, they could be a real force for good, both economically and
militarily.
Works Cited
Bergen, P.,
& Schneider, E. (2014, Sepetmber 22). Hezbollah Armed Drone? Militants'
New Weapon. Retrieved September 28, 2014, from CNN Opinion:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/22/opinion/bergen-schneider-armed-drone-hezbollah/
Chirico, J. (2013, May 6). Are
Police Drones Invading Your Privacy? Retrieved September 27, 2014, from
cbs46.com: http://www.cbs46.com/story/22175057/are-police-drones-invading-your-privacy
Henriques, J. (2014, March
21). Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV): Drones for Military and Civilian Use.
Retrieved September 27, 2014, from Global Research:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/unmanned-aerial-vehicles-uav-drones-for-military-and-civilian-use/5374666
History of Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles. (n.d.).
Retrieved September 27, 2014, from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_unmanned_aerial_vehicles
Naughton, R. (2003,
February 2). Remotely Piloted Aerial Vehicles: An Anthology. Retrieved
September 27, 2014, from Remotely Piloted Aerial Vehicles:
http://www.ctie.monash.edu/hargrave/rpav_home.html#Beginnings
Ross, A. (2014, April 21). Civilians
Die in Yemen Drone Strike as Weekend of Attacks Kills at Least 35.
Retrieved September 28, 2014, from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism:
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/04/21/civilians-die-in-yemen-drone-strike-as-weekend-of-attacks-kills-at-least-35/
Sifton, J. (2012, February 7).
A Brief History of Drones. Retrieved September 27, 2014, from The
Nation: http://www.thenation.com/article/166124/brief-history-drones#
U.S. Department of State.
(1960). May-July 1960: The U-2 Airplane Incident. Retrieved September
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Zolfagharifard, E. (2014,
September 24). Send in the Drone Doctors! 'Parcelcopter' Will Fly Medicine
and Urgent Goods to a Remote German Island. Retrieved September 28, 2014,
from Mail Online: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2768128/Send-DRONE-doctors-Parcelcopter-fly-medicine-urgent-goods-remote-German-island.html
