For Lauren Kahn, of the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think tank, the war in Ukraine is happening at a time when “a lot of these technologies are maturing” and are “available and cheap”, which has allowed more experiments.
“They are so affordable that they are used as less valuable weapons,” adds the specialist in the impact of emerging technologies on international security. The problem for a country under attack is when it costs more to shoot down a drone than to use it, she points out, citing the example of Russian strikes against Ukrainian electricity infrastructure using drones Iranians.
“The way to counter more drones and more effectively is, in my opinion, the next phase of development”, adds the expert, noting that it will be necessary to find a “more economical” solution which corresponds to the “very bottom of offensive technology”.