Introduction
In recent years, technological advances have led to the development of new tools of war called drones. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are aircraft controlled by either “pilots†from ground locations or autonomously using a pre-programmed mission. Drones may be put into major categories: those that are designed to undertake surveillance and reconnaissance activities and those that are used to deliver bombs and missiles to war zones. Unlike manned aircraft, drones can fly non-stop for a longer time. Moreover, more importantly, they address the problem of exposure to the dangers of warzones on the part of flight crew.
Developers of drones are concerned that civilians typically have negative attitudes towards their use in military contexts. They are concerned that with the use of drones, soldiers do not their targets as real human beings but rather as blips on a computer screen. Since they are completely withdrawn from the horrors of war, they may easily become trigger-happy. Many civilians are worried that drone may eliminate the deterrence that the horrors of war provide.
The thesis of this paper is that although civilians typically have negative opinions regarding drones, their use in military contexts is advantageous with regard to the operational aspects. This is because the use of drones has more pinpoint accuracy and significantly lowers operational hours of military personnel, thus reducing collateral damage to civilians.
Advantages of using drones in military action
A heated debate has been triggered by the recent increase in the number of drones being used in warfare. During the war on terror in the early 2000s, the use of drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan increased considerably. Today, the drone has become the latest symbol of the US war on terror. The unique capabilities of these weapons enable them undertake concentrated strikes with precision, speed, and in near-complete anonymity. In many ways, drone may be said to be an embodiment of the weaponry of today’s globalized world (Ahmed 4). This mainly because of the leading technology used to manufacture it, its sleek appearance, and its global presence. Modern-day drones can fly at heights of up to 50,000 feet, meaning that they are invisible to their intended victims. Moreover, they can hover around for over twenty four hours. Their means that their victims cannot escape their drones’ scrutiny, a crucial indicator of their effectiveness in reconnaissance and surveillance work.
In the United States, drones are increasingly being viewed as the ultimate weapon in the fight against terrorism and ensuring that America is safe at all times. …….