Armed drones have raised hopes among some for a transformational weapon to use against U.S. adversaries, and raised concerns among others about proliferation and misuse. However, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as they are also known, are fundamentally misunderstood. A series of reports, briefings, and media events seek to dispel the misconceptions.
In a series for The RAND Blog, researchers examine whether the use of drones will dramatically change global warfare, how U.S. drone policies might shape the way other nations use drones, and how to balance the potential proliferation of drones with future sales to allies.
On February 17, 2015, the Obama administration announced a new policy setting standards for exporting and using armed drones, which will allow for the wider export of armed drones to allied nations.
To dispel some of the myths that have arisen with respect to the use of long-range armed drones, a panel of RAND experts briefed Congress on March 3, 2015. Senior political scientist Lynn Davis gave an overview of the briefing beforehand, which you can watch below.
Researchers from RAND's National Security Research Division, and Project AIR FORCE have examined the implications of the growing use of unmanned aircraft in military and civilian settings.
