Two Sides of the Same Coin: Exploring Benefits and Risks of (Mis)use of Uncrewed Systems 🪙🤖🛫

Uncrewed systems - which include uncrewed aerial, ground, and maritime systems - are increasingly being developed and used by a wide range of state and non-state actors in the military realm. The increased development and use, by a range of actors, of uncrewed systems has also been enabled by lower costs of production and a range of technological advances which have made these systems easier to use, over longer periods of time, and with additional and more advanced capabilities.
As such, the attractiveness - and use - of such systems has grown over recent years. Moreover, the combination of these elements also raises important questions about proliferation and misuse, as well as regulatory measures and countermeasures.
Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs, often referred to as “drones”) are viewed with particular concern as regards the implications of their growing proliferation and use to international peace and security. If misused, UAVs can pose challenges to human, national, regional, and international security. Yet, they also offer a number of positive applications.
This webinar explored the benefits that these systems offer and also their impacts on regional and international peace, security, and stability when misused, especially as compared to crewed systems. The webinar also examined the types of actors using these systems and variance of use across regions.
This was the second webinar in a three-part series on uncrewed systems hosted by UNIDIR and the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA). The first webinar in the series covers the terms and classifications used for uncrewed systems, and UAVs in particular, as well as potential impacts that these may pose to international security. The third and final webinar explores actions the multistakeholder community can take to address the threats associated with their uncontrolled proliferation and misuse.
Speakers:
• Kerry Chávez, Assistant Professor, Department of Military & Strategic Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy
• Abby Zeith, Legal Adviser, Arms and Conduct of Hostilities Unit, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
• Wim Zwijnenburg, Project Leader Humanitarian Disarmament, PAX
Moderated by Barbara Morais Figueiredo, Researcher, UNIDIR
This event took place on Thursday 18 July 2024, 15.00-16.30 CEST / 09.00-10.30 EDT, online.
Resources:
🛫 Our research on missiles and drones: unidir.org/foc...
📋 Our Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme: unidir.org/caap
🌐 The UN Institute for Disarmament Research: unidir.org