Opinion

22 Years of Drone Warfare and No End in Sight

Maha Hilal / TomDispatch Sep 5, 2023 For over twenty-two years American administrations have used drones to commit civilian slaughter and sanitize their crimes. Dig deeper ( 9 Min. Read )

Is That Drone Registered, Sir?

Staff / Truthdig Dec 14, 2015 U.S. residents owning a drone that weighs more than half a pound will have to register the device with the Federal Aviation Administration before launching it into the skies. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Global Drone Trade, by the Numbers

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Mar 16, 2015 More drones are being transferred between countries than ever before, says the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A Good Use for a Drone

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jul 6, 2014 Ever wanted to bask in the warmth and light of a fireworks display? Footage taken from an unmanned aerial vehicle gets us as close to the spectacular experience as possible. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘I Worked on the U.S. Drone Program’

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Dec 30, 2013 Politicians defending the use of drones in Afghanistan have no idea what they're talking about, writes former U.S. Air Force analyst Heather Linebaugh, who has seen innocent women and children incinerated by Hellfire missiles and soldiers killed because of drone failures. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

UAV Industry to Journalists: Don’t Call Them ‘Drones’

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Aug 16, 2013 Leaders of the unmanned aerial vehicle industry instructed journalists at a conference this week in Washington, D.C., to stop using the word "drone" to refer to the terrifying flying robots the government uses to monitor and kill people. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Former Drone Pilot Talks Candidly About Attacks

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig May 11, 2013 A veteran Air Force drone pilot has opened up about his unsettling experiences killing alleged militants and probable civilians from an air-conditioned trailer in the American West. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Here’s What a ‘Bee Drone’ Will Look Like

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig May 5, 2013 You've heard reports of drones the size of insects. A new video shows a flying robot the size of a quarter developed by engineers at Harvard. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Holder Argues for Homeland Drone Killings

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Mar 7, 2013 The attorney general told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that the president has the authority to use drones to kill American citizens on U.S. soil in the event of an "extraordinary circumstance." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

British Troops Use Tiny Surveillance Drones

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Feb 9, 2013 British soldiers in Afghanistan have been issued several drones known as Black Hornet Nanos, palm-sized unmanned aerial vehicles “that can scout around corners and obstacles for hidden dangers” and transmit live video and still images to a handheld controller up to half a mile away. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

‘NOVA’: The ‘Next Generation’ of Drone Surveillance

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jan 27, 2013 A new drone-mounted surveillance camera, chillingly described as the "Wide Area Persistent Stare," can see and record, all at once, virtually everything happening at ground level in a medium-sized city.A new drone-mounted surveillance camera, known as the "Wide Area Persistent Stare," can see and record virtually everything happening at ground level in a medium-sized city. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Pakistan Taliban Leader Dead in U.S. Drone Strike

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jan 4, 2013 The first disclosed unmanned drone strike of 2013 killed top Taliban leader Mullah Nazir as he reportedly met with senior leaders of his group in South Waziristan early Thursday morning, security officials say. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )