Use of unmanned aerial vehicles for terrorist purposes

Abstract

One of the significant characteristics of terrorism in the 21st century is the constant tendency of terrorists to use new technology in carrying out their terrorist activities. According to the scientific and professional public opinion, unmanned aerial vehicles provide a wide range of opportunities that can be used to carry out violent actions aimed at spreading fear, death, and destruction against what terrorists call valuable targets. The combination of load capacity, range, accuracy, as well as controllability from a greater distance, is what any terrorist planner desires. The paper points out some advantages, i.e. relevant characteristics of unmanned aerial vehicles, which make them suitable for use in terrorist actions. It also mentions the use of these aerial vehicles as terrorist weapons through history, and discusses various aspects of their use in the terrorist actions in the future, which the Republic of Serbia may also be faced with.

Keywords

• unmanned aerial vehicles
• terrorism
• weapons of mass destruction
• terrorist organizations