Rise of the Drones

Fighting simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has stretched America's military resources to the limit, while hunting terrorists in remote, rugged, hostile terrain involves great risks. In recent years, unmanned airplanes have revolutionized warfare, taking out "high value individuals," using navigation systems to spy on and often attack terrorists. Filmmaker Peter Yost's PBS-aired NOVA documentary explores the new world of drones, which are remotely guided—often at a great distance from the battlefield—to carry out missions related to covert ops and troop support. Built for endurance, drones are both light and efficient—consuming less fuel than conventional fighters, which keeps them in the air for longer time periods. Of course, drones also eliminate the potential loss of pilots, something which caused great embarrassment during the Cold War, when a manned U-2 spy plane was downed in 1960 over Russia, resulting in a show trial of pilot Francis Gary Powers and a propaganda coup for the Soviets. While some information is classified, interviewed scientists, engineers, and pilots here discuss the basic technology of drones. A common complaint is that drone sensors offer an overly narrow view of the battlefield (comparable to peering through a drinking straw), which sometimes results in missed opportunities or needless casualties. In 2011, a drone was downed in Iran, raising fears of lost security information and the specter of a drone arms race. Some claim that drone strikes actually increase the chance of terrorism, radicalizing populations in the target zone. On the domestic front, privacy concerns are rising about newly miniaturized drones used for border security and police surveillance (the program also highlights the peaceful use of drones, such as locating missing individuals in inaccessible areas). The documentary concludes with the admission that drones will never completely replace pilots as, "you can't anticipate everything," and human judgment is needed. An informative report on a hot-button topic, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)