Drones: the need for debate and regulation
Technological development has led to a massive proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (‘UAV’) and unmanned aerial systems (‘UAS’) — often referred to as drones — in defence, law enforcement and civilian settings.
The uses of drones are wide and varied including agricultural and emergency services, journalism and surveillance. They can also be lethal. President Obama has presided over a major increase in a multi-agency network of drones carrying out extrajudicial assassinations of suspected ‘militants,’ particularly in Northern Pakistan.