Drone warfare

Drone warfare is the use of military robots and unmanned systems in warfare. The unmanned systems may be remote controlled by a pilot or have varying levels of autonomy during their mission. Types of unmanned systems and platforms include unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) or weaponized commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), unmanned surface vehicles (USV) or unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV). SUAVs and MAVs are man-portable UAVs and can be deployed for low-altitude, short-range support operations. Autonomous drones such as autonomous aircraft and LAWS utilize artificial intelligence or pre-programmed algorithms. As of 2019, the following nations have been identified as having operational UCAVs: China, France, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Drones are an expendable force multiplier that may supplement–or reduce the necessity for–live personnel during operations. Military applications of drones range from reconnaissance tasks, kamikaze missions, logistical support, bomb disposal, training and medical evacuation to electronic warfare, anti-air, anti-armor, and anti-personnel roles. However drones are typically tasked with intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions, facilitating direct attacks on targets as part of a kill chain or through manned-unmanned teaming. Aerial drone attacks can be conducted via purpose-built UCAVs that launch ordnance during a drone strike, by loitering munitions and one-way attack drones laden with a warhead that explodes on impact, or by civilian UAVs weaponized to deploy munitions or crash into a target. Larger drones can serve a "mothership" role by deploying sub-drones or by providing electronic warfare capabilities such as radio relay. Heavy-lift drones may be used to airlift supplies or evacuate wounded personnel across a battlefield. Multiple drones can operate and attack simultaneously in a drone swarm. The early years of the 21st century saw most drone...