History, current state, and prospects of development of unmanned aerial vehicles as a technical and forensic tool and object of forensic research

Abstract

The relevance of the study is conditioned by the scientific originality and practical significance of using modern capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles by law enforcement agencies. The purpose of the study is to investigate the history, current state, and prospects of development of the unmanned aerial vehicle as a technical and forensic tool and object of forensic science. The study is based on the dialectical method of cognition of social and legal phenomena and concepts. Along with it, such general scientific and special research methods as historical, comparative legal, system and structural, sociological, statistical, logical, and other modern approaches were used, allowing the study to formulate assumptions and draw conclusions. Based on the findings, an analysis of the history of the development of an unmanned aerial vehicle was carried out, where the author identifies five main stages, namely: the period of the late 19th - early 20th century, the period of the First World War and the post-war period, the period of the Second World War, the period of the Cold War and local military conflicts of that time, and the modern period, which was characterised by the involvement of modern unmanned aerial systems not only in the military sphere, but also in various spheres of human life, including criminal activities, and in the activities of law enforcement agencies to disclose, investigate, and prevent criminal offences. Based on the intended purpose, technical characteristics and parameters, the classification of unmanned aerial vehicles is given, depending on their types, size, weight, power plant, and control method. In this regard, attention is focused on unmanned aircraft systems related to multicopters, as the most promising unmanned aerial vehicles that can be implemented in the work of law enforcement agencies. Certain aspects and features of using an unmanned aerial vehicle as a technical and forensic tool and an object of forensic research are considered. In this regard, problematic issues related to definition of a unified legal terminology for systems and elements of an unmanned aviation complex. Priority areas of introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles in the activities of law enforcement agencies are highlighted. Considering international standards in the aviation sector, the main areas are proposed for improving Ukrainian legislation on registration, licensing, and certification of unmanned aerial vehicles, and the grounds and procedure for its use by relevant law enforcement agencies in the detection, investigation, and prevention of criminal offences. The practical significance of the study is conditioned by the fact that it examines topical issues of the history of development, the current state, and prospects for improving Ukrainian legislation on issues related to the practical use of an unmanned aerial vehicle as a technical and forensic tool and the object of forensic research

Keywords

• drone
• quadcopter
• unmanned aviation system
• unmanned aircraft
• statutory regulation