Manhunters Inc.: How the Predator Became Washington’s Calling Card

By Gregoire Chamayou, TomDispatch Apr 9, 2015 The metamorphosis of the drone from eye to weapon came about almost by chance as the new millennium began. Barely two months after the outbreak of hostilities in Afghanistan, President George W. Bush declared: “It is clear the military does not have enough unmanned vehicles.” Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

Give Us Your Gamers — Not Your Pilots

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Feb 3, 2015 An extract from the documentary film "Drone" shows military recruiters scanning video game fairs for the next generation of drone operators for often-lethal military activities in the Middle East and elsewhere. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Three Faces of Drone War: Speaking Truth From the Robotic Heavens

By Pratap Chatterjee, TomDispatch May 12, 2014 It would be easy enough to assume that the kind of analytical work remote pilots do would result in a sense of job satisfaction and little more. That, it turns out, would be a mistake. Dig deeper ( 11 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 )

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 )

New Drone Radar Reveals Border Patrol ‘Gotaways’ in High Numbers

By Andrew Becker, Center for Investigative Reporting Apr 11, 2013 The U.S. Border Patrol has caught some border crossers in remote stretches of desert with a sophisticated sensor mounted on unmanned spy aircraft that can reveal every man, woman and child under its gaze from a height of about 25,000 feet. Dig deeper ( 8 Min. Read )

U.S. Drone Kills 5 as Pakistan Hesitates Against Taliban

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Aug 18, 2012 Five alleged Pakistani militants connected to the Taliban warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur were killed in a drone strike Saturday as the United States pressured Pakistan to attack Taliban forces that may become the country's crucial allies once foreign forces leave. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Medals for Drone Pilots?

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jul 11, 2012 The Pentagon is considering awarding distinctions to personnel in air-conditioned rooms who use remote control airplanes to kill people 7,500 miles away. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Armed Drones: Coming to an Airspace Near You

Staff / Truthdig May 25, 2012 A Texas police department is just one of many local agencies across the country that has been granted permission by the Federal Aviation Administration to use unmanned aerial drones in the course of its operations, and its chief deputy wants to arm its fleet with rubber bullets and tear gas. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Chomsky on Human Rights, Communities of Dissent and More

Staff / Truthdig May 14, 2012 Dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky sat down with "Democracy Now!" for an hourlong conversation about the Palestinian prisoner hunger strike, the relationships forged by Occupy Wall Street, Obama’s targeted assassinations, WikiLeaks’ whistle-blowing and Latin America’s gradual slip from U.S. dominance. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Killing Fellow Americans? Sure, Say Most of Us

Staff / Truthdig Feb 9, 2012 A Washington Post poll found that 83 percent of Americans approved of the U.S. government’s use of flying robots to kill terror suspects overseas, while 65 percent found no fault even if those targeted were American citizens. Liberals and Democrats consented to the killings as well, with favorable showings of 55 percent and 58 percent, respectively. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Activists Fight Back With ‘Occucopter’ Drone

Staff / Truthdig Dec 22, 2011 The worldwide uprisings of 2011 have seen ordinary people use surveillance and communication technology to protect themselves against oppressive governments. Now, New York City’s Occupiers are taking such tactics to the skies with the "occucopter," a lightweight, camera-mounted helicopter that can be controlled with an iPhone. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )