Andrew H Campbell of Bellevue, NE on The Use of Drones in Advancing Peacekeeping
Our skies are increasingly being taken over by drones, which are being put to use for both commercial and non-commercial purposes. The FAA estimates that 1.25 million drones are currently in operation in the United States, a figure that will grow rapidly in the coming years.
Much of that growth will come from the commercial sector for drones, which is expected to triple in size by 2023. Amazon, Google and Walmart are just a few of the companies experimenting with and expanding their drone delivery capabilities so they can make speedy airborne package deliveries.
However, drones are already demonstrating their potential to be far more than just convenient delivery vessels. One of their most important functions is now in peacekeeping missions says retired senior military officer and renowned public speaker Andrew H Campbell of Bellevue, NE.
Campbell, whose debut book Peace Leadership: Self-Transformation to Peace, was published last year, says unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being deployed in various ways by organizations like the UN, allowing peacekeepers to improve their surveillance capabilities.
What Drones Are Capable of in the Field
Unarmed drones have been deployed on peacekeeping missions in areas of Africa like Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, bolstering security and providing several valuable functions for local residents.
Andrew H Campbell of Bellevue, NE says that drones are invaluable for gaining access to and surveilling terrain that is difficult to traverse. A prime example is Mali, a politically turbulent country that is frequently rocked by extremist attacks. The landlocked nation features such diverse and formidable geographic locales as the Sahara Desert to the north, mountains to the northeast, and a savannah in the south, all of which can be monitored with ease by a small contingent of drones.
Drones are also useful for bypassing broken or non-existent infrastructure, which remain challenges for ground-based humanitarians in many parts of Africa. This is especially the case during conflicts, when insurgents or other military groups are prone to destroying vital bridges in an effort to secure their position or otherwise thwart their enemies.
In addition to mapping and data gathering, drones are also capable of extending Wi-Fi connectivity to areas that may be lacking internet access, providing an invaluable means of communication during conflicts. Their delivery capabilities also play an important role in peacekeeping, allowing medical and other supplies to be delivered swiftly to remote regions.
Andrew H Campbell of Bellevue, NE believes the only thing standing in the way of wider drone usage in peacekeeping endeavors are the legal and ethical concerns over their usage and their association with armed drones.
Those associations with so-called “killer drones” have already been cited by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs as a reason to limit unarmed drone usage. It’s no secret that drones have been and will continue to be weaponized. In fact, over 40% of the UK’s aerial missions launched against Isis were conducted via drones.
Nonetheless, with drones showcasing their potential to broaden the scope and effectiveness of peacekeeping missions, the immense void they can fill will hopefully outweigh those concerns.
