The stress of being a pilot for the drone needs to be under certain policies. The FAA holds the power in regulating drones but much effort needs to be implemented in regulating drones used in war. Drones are looked be fun and friendly as many individuals are able to buy them as presents including the popular drone called the Phantom. However, members of our armed forces play a more serious role in producing strikes using drones. As we grow closer to a more robotic warfare era, we need to address policies that produce guidelines on when it is appropriate to implement drone strikes. Policies need to be implemented on who can become a pilot of the drones as we grow more accustomed to this military practice. The article states that the Air Force, who implements many of the drone strikes, tend to recruit individuals who are family oriented. This comes to no surprise in the increase of stress as many of the pilots have children and may be called to employ missions that include killing young individuals. The sense of responsibility puts in risk of civilians and calls for action.
As a proposal, we should implement a plan that requires all individuals who operate drones to obtain a license. The license shall be obtained by completing a regulation test that requires knowledge of unmanned aircraft and agreement of use. Also, Congress should create a organization that oversees drone strikes made from abroad. More consideration of abroad actions should be implemented because we do not want drone strikes that may cause harm to civilians to decrease our chances of finding peace with our allies.
Is your proposal for individuals in the military or for civilians? What do you think the organization should specifically do while overseeing drone strikes abroad? Don't you think this could cause huge politcal backfire when the United States military here in the states is having a dispute over drone strikes against a overseas organization?
ReplyDeleteHi Lamontre,
ReplyDeleteYou mention that UAVs are a serious thing, and should not be viewed as "fun". Drones are a piece of technology used by humans for a variety of different purposes: this includes but is not limited to military operations, but also surveillance, and even sports and cinematography.
I agree with you that drone operators should be very carefully selected and trained. Perhaps they should also be made aware of the mental health risks that come with the job, and should be given access to any mental health resources that are needed.
Can you elaborate on the organization which would "oversee drone strikes made from abroad"? Is this a U.S organization? Or is this an international organization?
Hi Lamontre,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it may be a good idea for someone to be trained or tested before being able to pilot a drone. You discuss that people tend to be more family oriented when chosen to pilot drones but I didn't catch whether you thought this was a good or bad thing. Do you think that it is good that family oriented people are piloting them...so these people wouldn't be deployed overseas?
Lamontre - I can say with complete certainty that Air Force drone pilots are trained and held to a standard of performance, so I don't think military drone pilots need further operational training and testing. But I do think your point about a congressional organization to oversee drone strikes is a step in the right direction towards more accountability for the use of drones. Since the CIA drone strikes are covert operations, there is little oversight from Congress regarding the targeting process. Although certain things are kept classified for good reason, if they operate under complete secrecy, there can be no oversight. I think killing suspected and/or known terrorists is something that lives in murky legal waters and is awfully close, if not synonymous, to the word "assassination".
ReplyDelete