What, if anything, is wrong with drone warfare?
Daniel O’Connell
Drone warfare is a relatively new concept on the timeline of human conflict, with the first documented usage of an unmanned aerial vehicle in battle being in July 1849, where the Austrians launched an incendiary attack on Venice in response to the proclamation of the Venetian Republic against Austrian occupation. 1 However, drones are now becoming a far more discussed topic, with their prevalence and success on the battlefield in Ukraine, and the developments in technology such as AI that pose many ethical questions surrounding the use of drones in warfare. I would argue that current uses of drones are merely demonstrative of human advancement and are testament to the evolving nature of warfare which is broadly accepted on the international stage. Despite this, I do acknowledge the possible issues that may arise around drones in the future, particularly the loss of human agency in death. First, I believe it is extremely important to address the many positive aspects that drones offer in modern warfare. When needing to launch an offensive or a strike there are always great risks to human life on the ground, yet using a drone largely eliminates this risk. According to Calcara et al. in their article arguing that drones have not revolutionized war, 2 the new practice of ‘substituting troops with various types of robotic systems’ does yield significan tly fewer soldier deaths, by eliminating close combat from modern battlefields. Governments no longer need to risk human life given the ease and effectiveness of a drone operation. However, it is further important to recognize that there are military operations that cannot be carried out without human presence on the ground. Although this is true, the usage of drones still significantly reduces risk to life, albeit not erasing the risk entirely. In addition, drones offer the benefit of precision in attack and reconnaissance. Unlike a high-altitude aircraft, drones can take photos and video of targets without compromising quality or mission security. Furthermore, many drone companies are now focussing on detailed 3D-mapping of zones, which would provide military commanders with a higher level of knowledge than before, allowing them to make better informed decisions in the best interest of success and minimizing troop casualties. 3 Furthermore, in terms of any ethical issues presented by current uses of drones in warfare, I see no problems, viewing recent developments as steps on humanity’s journey towards military supremacy. Even though some would view this idea of human development to be detrimental to our overall ‘moral’ standing, this is immaterial for the discussion on drones. Throughout history, civilizations have raced to find the most effective means of warfare, with a rather early example of this being the transition from the Copper to the Bronze Age, where the introduction of bronze weapons led to civilizations such as the Mesopotamians conquering swathes of land in the modern Middle East. Drones are no different – as all 1 The Austrian balloons contained bombs on timed fuses, although some were claimed to be electrically activated by signals that would travel along copper wires. This experimental idea, although a beginning a small contribution, is partially responsible for the collapse of the Venetian Revolt (Anonymous 1849). 2 Calcara 2022. 3 The development of this feature has many other applications in areas such as agriculture and search and rescue, providing other benefits to the military if soldiers were MIA (The Impact of Drones on the Future of Military Warfare, n.d.) .
178
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting