Drone Bases Updates

This dynamic post will provide regular updates regarding the deployment of drones in military operations as new developments occur and as new information becomes available. Update: Please see our September 2019 publication, The Drone Databook, for more detailed and up-to-date information on these topics. Aksu, China 41°15′45″N 80°17′30″E October 1, …

More of the Same: The UN Debate on Lethal Robots

By Kelley Sayler From April 11 to 15, representatives from 95 states and numerous non-governmental organizations gathered in Geneva for the third UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons’ Meeting of Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). As outlined by Chairman Michael Biontino, this meeting was intended to foster a …

Debating “Killer Robots” at the United Nations

By Dan Gettinger Today, April 13, experts and delegates from around the world are gathering in Geneva, Switzerland for a discussion on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, or, LAWS. The Meeting of Experts is organized by the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). Over the next five days, the representatives …

CNAS Primer on LAWS for UN Delegates

This paper is published with permission from the Center for a New American Security. By Paul Scharre, Michael C. Horowitz, and Kelly Sayler On April 13-17, delegates to the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) will discuss lethal autonomous weapon systems, an emerging technology that raises significant legal, moral, ethical, …

What You Need to Know About “Killer Robots”

By Dan Gettinger, @GettDan In 2014, Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) became a hot topic of debate. Military strategists are planning for a future in which autonomous unmanned systems such as aerial drones are capable of making targeting decisions without any human input. Meanwhile, the United Nations is considering a preemptive …