Drones and Modern Warfare: The Ethical Dilemma of Distance

Precision Warfare: Are Drones a Shield for Life or a Dehumanization of Conflict?

The use of drones in contemporary conflicts presents a paradox regarding the preservation of life. On one hand, this technology enables "surgical strikes" that, in theory, prevent civilian casualties and protect soldiers themselves by keeping them away from the front lines.

However, at Oirec, we have observed that this "digital distance" can lower the moral threshold for initiating attacks and facilitate the proliferation of autonomous weapons. We investigate the critical juncture where scientific advancement ceases to be a tool for defense and instead becomes a global risk one operating without direct human oversight. On the battlefield, the value of human life cannot be left to the dictates of programming code.

Sources to link:

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Autonomous Weapons Systems

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI): Military Technology and Innovation