---
title: "Drone Warfare"
description: "The proliferation of military drones is completely changing the landscape of modern warfare. This evolution raises important questions regarding the…"
url: https://www.independentpress.com/article/drone-warfare
date: 2026-10-12
categories: ["War","Technology"]
author: "Kailena Song"
---

# Drone Warfare

![Drone Warfare](https://images.ctfassets.net/ewtdlsoyixc1/5RxcT8b1Xkr6daIyKls3ka/f1838dfb12db0f0e7879881c3b990404/Drone_Warfare.jpeg)

The proliferation of military drones is completely changing the landscape of warfare as we know it. Drones, also referred to as [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles](https://www.britannica.com/technology/military-aircraft/Unmanned-aerial-vehicles-UAVs) (UAVs), can be adapted for a variety of military uses including surveillance, target tracking, and delivering explosive payloads. UAVs are operated remotely, meaning that pilots control the aircraft’s movements through a system of integrated sensors and cameras from the ground. This allows pilots to carry out high-risk operations [without putting themselves in immediate danger](https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43742229). While UAVs may improve military efficiency, they are also incredibly low cost, making them some of the most accessible weapons on the market. As UAV usage becomes increasingly widespread, drone technology is not only altering how states conduct military operations but also lowering the barriers to participate in armed conflict, bringing about a recalculation of threats in an era of not-so-asymmetrical warfare. 

**Transforming Asymmetric Warfare**

UAVs are among the most affordable and accessible military technologies available, challenging the assumption that advanced military capabilities require significant financial resources. Before UAVs, military aviation was extraordinarily expensive. This [cost barrier limited military aviation](https://www.reuters.com/graphics/IRAN-CRISIS/DRONES/dwpkyamxqpm/) primarily to states with the financial and technological resources to develop and maintain it. This disparity was a large contributor to [asymmetrical warfare](https://www.ciris.info/learningcenter/asymmetric-warfare/), or conflict between two forces with significantly unequal military strengths and capabilities. However, UAVs are narrowing this gap by giving less powerful actors access to new, destructive capabilities that were previously impossible to obtain. [Drones that cost hundreds of dollars to build can destroy two-million-dollar tanks](https://www.politico.eu/article/future-warfare-400-army-strike-drone-unit-2m-tank/), proving that cost does not have to be proportional to damage. This increases the military capabilities of countries with small militaries and non-state actors, allowing them to challenge more powerful adversaries without possessing comparable military resources.

The first large-scale weaponization of commercial drones was carried out by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) between 2016 - 2018. During the battle for Mosul, a city in northern Iraq, [ISIL used modified Chinese commercial drones to attack American and Iraqi military forces](https://warontherocks.com/how-the-army-out-innovated-the-islamic-states-drones/), destroying over 56 Iraqi military vehicles and wounding over 100 soldiers. Since then, the weaponization of commercial drones has expanded significantly. A [recent United Nations report](https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct722x)found that over 118 countries and at least 65 non-state actors possessed military drones. One country spearheading the development and deployment of military UAVs is Ukraine. [Ukraine’s drone industry, and its investments in military UAVs](https://www.wsj.com/business/the-latest-buzzy-tech-investment-ukrainian-drones-8e455819), expanded rapidly following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. As the war between Russia and Ukraine has continued, UAVs have become a crucial part of Ukraine’s military operations. 

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is a prime example of asymmetrical warfare. [The Russian Federation has a population 3.6 times that of Ukraine, alongside an economy that is 13.2 times the size of Ukraine’s](https://geofactbook.com/compare/russia-vs-ukraine). At the onset of the conflict between the two countries, the Russian Federation strongly overpowered Ukraine in manpower, economic stability, firepower, and military spending. Yet, Ukraine has not only been able to thwart offensive attacks on its territory but also lead offensive operations into Russian soil.

UAVs have been one of the main difference-makers in the conflict. They are cheap to manufacture and can be modified to track enemy movement, conduct surveillance, and carry out explosive attacks, [allowing Ukrainian forces to conduct organized attacks despite low budgets and ammunition](https://dignitas.fund/blog/inside-the-kill-zone-how-drone-technology-is-reshaping-ukraines-frontline-defense/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23708344276&gbraid=0AAAAApyoxnl4fx9q65B864eS0Ri3bBhEz&gclid=CjwKCAjw_pzWBhAkEiwAwDCi1YSzjgFxirBKBxj8h8xJY2eiHyWxVSO84Ib49OtG5Ou-mn2E3FyRnhoCOfIQAvD_BwE). Beyond that, drones can work together to carry out complex missions and inflict severe damage. In June 2025, Ukrainian forces launched [Operation Spiderweb](https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/5337452-spider-web-ukrainian-drone-attack-russia/), a coordinated drone attack targeting Russian military aircraft at multiple airbases across the country. The operation deployed 117 UAVs destroying approximately one-third of Russia's air force. [While each drone cost an estimated $1,000, the attack was able to inflict over seven billion in losses to Russian aircraft](https://www.justsecurity.org/138164/ukraine-drone-superpower/).

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, it is clear that drone warfare will be a pivotal factor in deciding the outcome. Both Russian and Ukrainian military forces are increasing investment and production in the sector. In 2026, [Ukraine is projected to produce eight million UAVs](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/1/western-militaries-are-undermining-ukraines-defence-experts-say). To combat this, the Russian Federation is also scaling its drone production, [aiming to manufacture 7.3 million combat drones this year](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/06/02/russias-aircraft-output-more-than-doubles-as-drone-production-surges-a92905). Ukraine’s ability to rapidly expand its UAV sector and engineer UAV attack-strategies has completely changed the possibilities of asymmetrical warfare and its trajectory in the war. While the future of the Ukraine-Russia War remains unknown, it is clear that UAVs have begun to level the playing field against traditional military powers.

**Artificial Intelligence and UAVs**

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing industries by automating decisions and processes, and warfare is no exception. The introduction of AI into UAVs has amplified the applications of the technology, while also requiring less human intervention. With AI, UAVs may be able to make life or death decisions without human oversight. This raises especially concerning ethical questions about the application, monitoring, and regulation of the technology in modern warfare. 

[Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF11150) (LAWS) are weapons that can identify and kill targets without human intervention. While UAVs traditionally rely on human pilots to control their operations remotely, [integrating AI can enable UAVs to independently identify, track, and attack targets](https://fsi.stanford.edu/sipr/content/lethal-autonomous-weapons-next-frontier-international-security-and-arms-control), transforming them into LAWS. LAWS are difficult to govern, since the majority of conflict treaties and international agreements do not have regulatory measures to restrict the usage of autonomous weapons. However, LAWS fundamentally pose serious threats to international human rights law (IHRL), which applies to all people in times of peace and conflict. 

Under IHRL, the Right to Life states that lethal force should only be used when absolutely necessary. LAWS may infringe on this right because [AI systems lack the nuance and understanding of human behavior to de-escalate conflict and determine when using lethal force is necessary](https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/04/28/a-hazard-to-human-rights/autonomous-weapons-systems-and-digital-decision-making). This poses the risk of deploying lethal force unnecessarily and killing civilians and combatants when lives could be spared. Under IHRL, [the Right to Non-Discrimination affirms the individual’s right to fair and equal treatment based on protected characteristics](https://www.heritage.org/civil-rights/report/equality-and-non-discrimination-international-human-rights-law). AI bias is widely documented, as [data collection, data labeling, and model training can introduce prejudices about certain groups of people consciously and subconsciously](https://www.chapman.edu/ai/bias-in-ai.aspx). This can [skew data discriminating on race, gender, or religious garments](https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/background_paper_bias_in_military_ai_0.pdf), killing underrepresented civilians and combatants at higher rates.

While the introduction of AI in UAVs for use in warfare raises major concerns, the technology offers important civilian uses including helping to improve the efficiency of flights and data collection systems. UAVs can use AI to optimize flight paths, reduce collisions, decrease time for data analysis, and minimize human errors. The technology is particularly valuable in search-and-rescue missions, where [it can improve survival outcomes by rapidly analyzing disaster scenes and using thermal imaging to locate survivors](https://dronexpo.co.uk/news-1/ai-drones-machine-learning-ai-changing-uav-industry). As a result, defining appropriate uses for AI in UAVs and military situations is imperative to ensure the proper use of this technology. 

**Current Events – Gaza**

One of the most highly-criticized uses of UAVs has been by the Israeli government in the current conflict in Gaza. Israel was one of the first countries to pioneer modern military UAVs. [In 1982, it used one of its first military UAVs, Scout, in the Lebanon War](https://www.meforum.org/how-israel-became-a-leader-in-drone-technology). Since then, Israel has continued to invest in UAV technology, becoming a [leading developer and producer of UAVs](https://drones.cnas.org/reports/a-perspective-on-israel/). In 2024, [Israel’s drone exports amassed to over $83 million](https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/drones/reporter/isr).

In the current conflict in Gaza, [Israel has used UAVs to surveil land, deploy explosives, and conduct direct killing operations](https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6747/Israel-intensifies-use-of-quadcopters-to-terrorise-and-target-civilians-in-Gaza,-with-terrifying-sounds-and-home-invasions). Israel’s use of this technology has been widely criticized by the international community for its reliance on AI, violations of human rights, and high civilian death toll. Furthermore, the advanced technology and precise targeting from UAVs is intended to provide intelligence to military operators to minimize civilian casualties. Yet, Israel’s high death-toll from the conflict [raises questions about the misuse of military technology to harm civilians](https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/Quadcopter).

The [quadcopter](https://www.npr.org/2024/11/26/g-s1-35437/israel-sniper-drones-gaza-eyewitnesses) is a small military UAV ‘sniper drone’ widely used by the Israeli military for various purposes, including delivering explosives and conducting direct-fire attacks. The quadcopter’s use in populated areas has raised serious concerns about civilian protection, particularly the disproportionate harm inflicted on children and other noncombatants. According to the United Nations, [more than 50,000 children have been reportedly killed or injured in the Gaza Strip](https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unimaginable-horrors-more-50000-children-reportedly-killed-or-injured-gaza-strip) since October 2023. Beyond their physical impact, quadcopters have also contributed to psychological distress among civilians. Numerous accounts describe quadcopters emitting ominous sounds to intimidate residents and induce panic. They have also been used for persistent surveillance, entering homes and shelters and monitoring civilians in spaces that would otherwise provide refuge. [This constant surveillance, coupled with the fear of potential attacks, creates an environment of sustained psychological stress](https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6747/Israel-intensifies-use-of-quadcopters-to-terrorise-and-target-civilians-in-Gaza,-with-terrifying-sounds-and-home-invasions) that can contribute to lasting trauma.

As UAV technology progresses and new legislation is proposed to regulate military drone technology, it is imperative to remember that UAVs are not “safer” weapons. Their sophisticated sensors, real-time feedback, and artificial intelligence may create the impression of greater precision and intelligence, yet these capabilities do not guarantee that UAVs can reliably distinguish civilians from combatants. Furthermore, UAVs remain vulnerable to systematic programming biases and lack the understanding necessary to determine when lethal force is justified, placing civilian lives at risk. In 1979, when computers began automating manual processes, the International Business Machine Corporation famously coined the claim: “A computer can never be held accountable; therefore, a computer must never make a management decision.” The argument remains relevant today. Machines lack moral agency and accountability for the consequences of their decisions and therefore, the ultimate responsibility always belongs to a person who is operating or who built the machine. That responsibility extends beyond military operators to the developers, policymakers, and even readers of this article, who must recognize the consequences of these technologies and hold those who deploy them accountable.