| Summary/Abstract |
Transformations, revolutions, evolutions, call them what you will. The simple fact is that the global proliferation of weaponised drones – known as the Second Drone Age – has altered the face of warfare in the 2020s. This is not to say that theoretical debates about what constitutes a true “revolution” in war are unimportant; more that the purpose of this article is to outline the clear ways in which armed drones have altered the practice of contemporary warfare. The broader academic debates will be left to those who wish to wage what Colin Gray called “protracted internecine combat” across the old “happy hunting ground” of “revolutionary” debates.Footnote1 Instead, by focusing on the context specific empirics of armed drone deployments, by both state and non-state actors, key characteristics of the Second Drone Age will be outlined, and the growing impact of drones in warfare documented.
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