The Second Drone Age
Recent conflicts in Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh show how armed drones are reshaping the battlefield of the future
KARACHI:
Soaring high above the clouds, a lone aircraft scans the ground for movement. With its mechanical eye, it spots a column of tanks and mobile artillery moving into position for an offensive. The pilotless plane relays everything it sees to a ground controller in real time. In a matter of moments, a swarm of smaller drones appears over the armoured column. Each of them seeks out an individual target before launching into a decimating kamikaze attack.
It has been nearly two decades since armed drones first captured our collective imagination. In that time, they have seen action in theatres ranging from Pakistan and Afghanistan, to Syria, Yemen and Africa. Still, many may yet think the aforementioned scenario is straight out of science fiction.