Drones – opportunities, threats and challenges

The rapidly increasing use of drones in military, security and civilian roles has been a notable feature of the twenty-first century to date. Every category of drone provides new capabilities, especially for intelligence gathering: from the nano (smaller than hand size) and small (up to several feet across) to large, lethal strike-capable remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) like Reaper and the even larger Global Hawk. In each instance, advances in drone technology have created a plethora of opportunities, threats and challenges in the security domain: from state-sanctioned surveillance to the application of lethal force, espionage, and intrusions on personal liberties. This chapter explores how states might deal with the implications of drones in terms of protective security against terrorist and other threats, counterespionage, and the looming regulatory and ethical challenges of more widespread use of networked, potentially autonomous, weaponised drones at home and abroad.