Drone Litigation Updates

By Arthur Holland Michel Over the past decade court cases, lawsuits, and freedom of information requests have played a significant role in revealing and shaping the legal, ethical, and political contours of the U.S. targeted killing program. A number of suits remain ongoing today, and these cases could potentially have …

Documents: DoD’s Domestic Drone Missions

By Dan Gettinger On January 11, the U.S. Department of Defense published new statistics on domestic military drone operations. According to the data, which cover missions that were authorized during Fiscal Year 2018, the U.S. military engaged in 11 domestic missions. Most of the these missions fall under “Defense Support …

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, …

Study: Drones in the FY 2019 Defense Budget

The Department of Defense has requested approximately $9.39 billion for unmanned systems and associated technologies in the FY 2019 budget. This proposal includes funding for the procurement of 3,447 new air, ground, and sea drones. The FY 2019 budget proposal represents a significant expansion in drone spending over the FY …

Report: Counter-Drone Systems

Counter-drone technology, also known as counter-UAS, C-UAS, or counter-UAV technology, refers to systems that are used to detect and/or intercept unmanned aircraft. As concerns grow around the potential security threats drones may pose to both civilian and military entities, a new market for counter-drone technology is rapidly emerging. To date, …

A Message from the CSD

Dear Reader, This year, the Center for the Study of the Drone has continued to shape the conversation around unmanned systems technology. We have uncovered new fronts of military drone proliferation in places like Egypt and China. Our publications have educated stakeholders about a range of emerging technologies, from loitering …

Drones at Home: Drone Incidents

Today the Center for the Study of the Drone published “Drone Incidents: A Survey of Legal Cases,” an in-depth study on over two dozen legal cases that have been prosecuted by authorities other than the FAA. This is the third installment in a three-part series on drone use and regulations at the local level in …

Loitering Munitions In Focus

[gview file=”http://dronecenter.bard.edu/files/2017/02/CSD-Loitering-Munitions.pdf”] In the early history of unmanned aviation, the distinction between a drone and guided missile was not always well defined. The World War One-era Kettering Bug, regarded to be one of the first drones, was designed to deliver an explosive charge by crashing into its targets, more like …

The Drone Database

For an expanded database of drones, please see our September 2019 publication, The Drone Databook.   A growing number of countries are developing or acquiring unmanned aircraft systems. These drones are playing an ever-larger role in conflicts around the world. For example, we identified 38 drones made in six countries that …