Drones and Human Rights
Keywords:
Articulating communal wishes, autonomous weapons systems, drone technology, paradox of machines, targeted killings, the vehicle-to-person brokering normsAbstract
The swift expansion of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) has revolutionized modern security protocols, surveillance systems, and military operations, presenting significant issues for the safeguarding and interpretation of human rights. This essay analyzes the impact of the increasing utilization of drones – by both state and non-state entities – on fundamental human rights principles, including the rights to life, privacy, due process, and accountability. It looks at the employment of drones in both armed conflict and law enforcement, pointing out the legal grey areas that exist around targeted murders, extraterritorial use of force, and mass surveillance. The paper contends that current international human rights and humanitarian law frameworks, however flexible, are becoming more challenged by the technological advancements and operational obscurity of drone systems. The essay suggests a
human-rights-centered approach to drone governance that focuses on openness, proportionality, and effective oversight. It does this by looking at current case law, state practice, and new regulatory attempts. Ultimately, it argues that the normalization of drone technology could undermine basic human rights and the rule of law in the digital era if there aren't strong legal and moral limits.
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