DRONES GAME CHANGERS IN WARFARE. AND ELSEWHERE.

Military analysts around the globe believe that drones, a common name for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have changed the nature of warfare. The drone is only one part of a whole system which works in tandem with an array of operators, sophisticated machines and a variety of equipment, to deliver strikes. The uses of drones are varied and not limited to warfare alone. With the evolving technology, many more uses have come to light.

Drones have their genesis in surveillance technology. In the early days, they were used to gather intelligence but now they are far more versatile and widely regarded as plain replacements for fighter jets. At AlphaDogfight Trials held in US, one drone comfortably outwitted and outmaneuvered a skilled and professional Air Force pilot.The reason is obvious. The drone is AI powered and G-force hardly affects is performance. And it has no desire of self-protection. The pilot, being human, is influenced by both. Therefore, he cannot take risks and cannot be as daring as a drone. A clear sign that fighter planes would be consigned to antiquity few years from now.

Two years back, in September 2019, an array of twenty five drones assaulted Saudi oil installations in Aramco. The attack carried out in two waves at Abqaiq and Khurais demonstrates the viciousness of drones and how the victims are helpless in responding to them. Satellite images of Abqaiq facility before and after the attacks reveal 19 strikes. The key aspect of this episode is that the Saudi air defense could not do anything about it in spite of being armed to the teeth. The sophisticated Crotale NGSand MIM-104 Patriot failed to retaliate or destroy the drones before the damage.

Although no loss of life or casualties was reported in this attack, the damage was still immense. Almost 5% of oil supply was cut which resulted in a spike in oil prices.

First, it is not easy to establish for sure about who launched the attack. Second, work on devising a proper and effective anti-drone technology is still in the nascent stage. Those who experience the destructive power of the drone are often clueless about the path to take for defense.

Drones, today, carry a wide variety of cargo on their bodies: radars, sonars, surveillance units, guided bombs and missiles for attacks from high above. Unlike their counterparts, drones can stay in the air for a longer period—as long as 120 hours in a single mission. Drones can carry out multiple tasks. For instance, stealth UAVs can carry loads of sophisticated ammunition. And, as the name suggests, they defy detection by radar, which makes a lethal combination. This type of drones is fraught with controversies. Some people fear that such drones can be used by unscrupulous elements to conduct targeted assassinations content in the belief that the sender of the drone will not be identified.

UAVs come in all shapes and sizes. The Norwegian ‘Hornet’ is tiny, to say the least, at one inch by four inches. It is used to snoop around walls or corners for locating the position of enemies. On the other extreme are US built drones Predator and Reaper which have a wingspan of around 66 feet. They can be as long as 36 feet and as high as 12.5 feet.

The way these drones are operated is fairly complicated and involves massive infrastructure of satellites, optical fibers and data centers. On top of it, they also require participation of crew located far and wide in different areas of the world. A crew member stationed somewhere in Qatar’s US base may launch a Reaper and transfer controls to another crew member stationed in Air Force base in California.

The operators work from control stations with huge screens powered with hi-tech computers and latest technology. Depending on the nature of the task, as many as a dozen image analysts may work on a single mission. And if a strike is on the cards, more people like lawyers and commanders may come on board. This means that operating a drone and sending it on a mission is an expensive affair requiring huge amount of equipment, infrastructure and professional involvement.

Such drones were developed to exert power over other nations. The US refers to these nations as rogue states and under that pretext brings suffering and mayhem to the people who were otherwise living peaceful and content lives. Thousands of civilians have lost their lives because of indiscriminate bombing carried out by drones. Those who are left behind live in constant fear of another attack which may leave scores of innocent people dead or injured. This loss of lives, property and human dignity is conveniently termed as collateral damage. People living in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Gaza, Yemen and several other Middle Eastern areas have felt most pains because of drones. The trouble starts when they realize that they do not have any means to defend against such sophisticated weapons. This realization leads to frustration which spawns radicalization and violent feelings. In a study based on interviews of suicide bombers’ relatives, the author established the fact that when helpless people are cornered and tormented in a variety of ways, they ultimately resort to violence. Kamikaze attack is not a new phenomenon. The hard truth is every time humans bring suffering to fellow humans, when justice is not served and when victims don’t have any place to go to for addressing their woes, retaliation appears to be the only recourse.

With rapid advancements in technology, UAVs are becoming more ominous and more destructive. The latest genre, the swarming drones, is making headlines and is destined to be technology of the future. A swarm is a formation of UAVs or drones which coordinate to achieve a goal. Each of the units in a swarm is powered by rotors, like those of a helicopter, which provide mobility, capability to hover over a target,

and vertically take-off or land. These drones are either controlled by remote operators or computer equipment installed on the drones.

The drones primarily serve military purposes but they are being considered as viable for commercial uses. Low cost drones and their swarms are being developed for specific purposes. Already, they are being used in geographical surveys, rescue operations, research and commercial activities. Amazon is applying this technology for delivery of their parcels to the destination.

More than 30 countries are in hot pursuit of this technology. Newer and novel applications are being discovered and adaptability issues are being addressed to match the need.

As the world looks forward to the transition of drones into an everyday gadget and societal norm, cyber specialists are looking at these developments from a different angle. Professionals related to cyber security are studying these platforms and how they can influence data stored in systems everywhere including institutes, commercial organizations, industries and homes.

Cyber security specialists know fully well that there is a ‘threat’ dimension to every new development. These new platforms are also exposed to malicious software which can wreak havoc in the daily lives. Somebody somewhere will think of a scheme to damage these platforms or discover new self-serving ways.

A lot of interest has been generated for drone detection and monitoring systems. Several companies who have developed suitable technology for the purpose are now competing for market share. But the threat of data theft is not only real but inevitable as well.

Someone might ask if the threat is so great that cyber security professionals must dread the possibility of an attack. The answer is a plain ‘no’. An remedy to any form of threat is usually discovered but it takes time and prompt action.

For instance, people’s interest in the fast evolving Iot devices has now acquired epidemic proportions.

The more people are inclined towards ease in life and the more people start depending on all sorts of gadgets, the problems of cyber security increase manifold. Add to it the prospect of flying drones with programmability, and the entire system becomes a conundrum. Resolving this set of complicated and homogeneous mixture would be a herculean task.

We are not too far from a point when drones would be flying above our heads, probably two to four hundred feet, in formations like we see vehicles on highways. And there would be several levels of these ‘midair highways’.

How can one face such challenges when managing traffic on city arteries and highways is itself a huge challenge? The IT professionals managing cyber security issues need to take these platforms into account while evaluating risks and threats. Only then should operational policies and procedures be streamlined. The programs should include Drone Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (DVRA) together with Drone Emergency Response Plan. These are in addition to technical survey and airspace reconnaissance. Awareness about public space has gained considerable importance because of pandemic. People are now sensitive to the space around them. Not everyone can use it freely without regard to acceptable social norms. In the foreseeable future, businesses that rely on public for profits, must also give respect and follow certain rules when using public spaces.

The whole discourse boils down to this premise: united efforts are required to merge physical security and cyber security to combat threats of all kinds including the ones high above. The drone technology is picking up momentum and ultimately impact the daily businesses. So, all planning and software designing, including that for cyber security, should aim to accommodate the presence of drones in our lives.