How A Drone Attack Would Be A Serious Problem
There Isn't Much We Can Do To Stop Them
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, have come to stay. And they promise to revolutionize several industries. But, like every other technology with the potential to significantly change things around us, it doesn't come without some risks. One in particular is terrifying to think about: drone attacks.
HOW A DRONE ATTACK WOULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM
Drones can bring several benefits. In the blog, we’ve talked about how they have the potential to alter the way many industries work. From the construction sector to the media sector, it’s only a matter of time until we see a myriad of drone applications being used.
But like every technology out there, it can be used for good and for bad.
According to The Economist, last year sales of consumer drones were predicted to reach 2.8 million. That’s a lot of drones sold to private individuals. But should that concern us?
In 2015, a Japanese man made headlines when he used a drone to protest against a nuclear Japan. The problem wasn’t the drone itself, but what he did with it. He landed the drone on the roof of the Japanese Prime Minister’s home. The drone was carrying a small amount of radioactive sand, and was meant to protest the government’s nuclear energy policy.
Since then, many have worried about the potential of drones to cause harm.
According to a report shared by ScienceDaily, drones can be fitted with explosives and designed to explode upon contact. They can also be used to jam radio frequencies and disrupt other communications. The National Academy of Sciences adds that small consumer drones could be used in swarms to effectively attack infantry – drone attacks that would be hard to stop.
(Here’s a video of the US Military releasing a swarm of micro-drones: video)
And while it’s certainly scary to think of what drones might do in the war, it’s just as scary, if not more, to think how they could be used to target and attack civilians.
As ScienceDaily reports, countering a drone attack would not be easy. It requires detecting and identifying the drones, a task not made easy by their size. They can also fly at low altitudes, have irregular flight paths, and could blend in with a flock of birds. On top of that, their agility makes hitting them with small arms extremely difficult.
But the risk is generally a consequence of technological advances, and we have to understand how to mitigate it or accept it.
And not all is bad.
As reported by Wired Magazine, consumer drones are easily available, but the weapons that would be mounted on them are not. On top of that, even if they were, drones wouldn’t necessarily be the best delivery vehicle for all of them. And companies like the Chinese DJI Technology Co., the largest drone manufacturer in the world, have put in place certain restrictions. For instance, one of their drones would stop working if it ever came inside off-limit areas, like the White House and its surroundings.
In the future, we’re likely to see governments place some more restrictions in an effort to minimize the risks associated with drones. Whether these restrictions will be about where they can fly, how much weight they can carry, or anything else, we still have to see. But they might be necessary, if we want to continue to enjoy all the positive things drone technology has to offer.
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