Drone swarms: Unmanned aerial armies

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Drone swarms: Unmanned aerial armies

Drone swarms: Unmanned aerial armies

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Drones are becoming an increasingly gray area for ethics, as they are being developed both to save and destroy human life.
    • Author:
    • Author name
      Quantumrun Foresight
    • April 27, 2023

    Drones are becoming more advanced, and some are designed to work in a coordinated fashion, like an insect swarm. The applications for these drones vary from utilizing them for humanitarian purposes, such as search and rescue missions, to using them for military purposes, such as attacking enemy targets. These developments are raising some significant concerns about their design and purpose.

    Drone swarm context

    Drones in a swarm can work together without central control by following simple rules, such as maintaining a minimum distance from other drones and moving in the same average direction and speed as the rest of the group. This modality allows for efficient and coordinated movement, improving the effectiveness of tasks such as surveillance and delivery. In the future, it is expected that each drone in a swarm will be programmed in slightly different ways, allowing the drones to learn from one another and become better suited for a given task. This technique will also increase the robustness of the swarm in changing environments. 

    Having multiple types of drones in a single swarm allows for specialized tasks to be performed simultaneously. Military organizations are exploring using these machines for surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, and even attack. Drone swarms allow coordinating multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to work together as a single system, leveraging their combined capabilities to accomplish complex missions. For example, in 2015, the US Pentagon conducted a secret experiment high above Alaska using new prototypes of micro-drones that can be launched from the flare dispensers of F-16 and F/A-18 fighter jets while they are in motion.

    Disruptive impact 

    Drone swarms can be used in search and rescue operations by surveying disaster-stricken areas and quickly locating survivors. Integrating with other land-based robot swarms, such as snake robots, a more comprehensive view of the damage can be obtained from aerial and ground perspectives.

    Drone swarms are also expected to impact the entertainment and logistics industry significantly. For example, they can create stunning light shows, replacing traditional fireworks displays. In addition, they may also be used to deliver packages in neighborhoods, providing a quicker and more automated delivery process.

    However, the military will likely be the largest investor and researcher in drone swarm technology. These machines can greatly increase the destructive capabilities of military forces while reducing the risks to soldiers. By providing autonomous, scalable, and disposable intelligent weapons, drone swarms can significantly enhance the power and efficiency of military operations.

    However, using drones as potential war machines raises ethical concerns. Firstly, these devices are often operated remotely, making it difficult to determine who is responsible for their actions and any harm they cause. Drone strikes can also result in significant civilian casualties, increasing tensions and anger towards the military and potentially fueling anti-government sentiment. And finally, by removing soldiers from the battlefield, drones can create a sense of detachment from the reality of war and its consequences, potentially reducing moral and ethical considerations during the use of deadly force.

    Implications of drone swarms

    Wider implications of drone swarms may include:

    • Higher human survival rates after disasters as search-and-rescue missions improve.
    • Reductions in carbon emissions as they increasingly take over medium-range cargo and last-mile package delivery tasks.
    • Their use for surveillance purposes, raising serious privacy concerns as they can gather vast amounts of information on individuals and communities.
    • Their growing use in warfare raising questions about compliance with international laws and human rights, particularly regarding the targeting and killing of individuals outside of declared war zones.
    • Technical problems, such as malfunctions or hacking, leading to unintended consequences and further ethical dilemmas.
    • Safety risks, such as collisions with other aircraft, buildings, or people.
    • Their eventual national and international regulation, requiring new laws and policies to ensure their safe and responsible use. Some jurisdictions may even ban their use in warfare due to their potential as weapons of mass destruction.

    Questions to consider

    • Do you think the police and military should use drone swarms?
    • How do you think the use of drone swarms may impact international laws and human rights?

    Insight references

    The following popular and institutional links were referenced for this insight:

    Aerospace & Defense Technology Drone swarms: a transformational technology