Death from above: use of attack drones by terrorist organisations

Abstract

Drones entered public spaces as toys to be given at Christmas or on birthdays. However, while the vast majority of us admired the first quadcopter models being sold in shopping centers, there were already those thinking about their possible applications in armed conflicts, or even for carrying out terrorist attacks. While Western society remained unaware, drones began to make their way into distant conflict zones from which news only trickled in (if at all): Syria, Mexico or the Donbas. It wasn’t until Vladimir Putin’s troops crossed the border into Ukraine that we realized the technological echo chamber we were living in. The war in Ukraine has made us realize that the future is already here. The use of drones for destructive purposes is now a reality, and denying it may mean being unprepared when someone decides to use them against us. Since February 24, 2022, innovation in the field of attack drones has undergone a true revolution: technical development of kamikaze drones, use of fiber optic cables to bypass jammers, and artificial intelligence. The current landscape has nothing to do with what it was three years ago. Today, we face drone swarms capable of making decisions on their own, coordinating their attacks. We must be prepared to contain the destructive potential of these devices before we are swept away by it.