IOT: Drone Terrorism

When two drones, each equipped with a kilogram of powerful plastic explosives, were used on August 4 2018 to attempt to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, it may have ushered in a foreboding new era—terrorism by unmanned aircraft.

The use of weaponised drones by lone individuals and small groups—some acting as proxies of nation-states—is no longer just a concern for the future, but very much for the present. The proliferation of certain emerging technologies has effectively diffused power and made it available at the lowest levels.

Terrorists are highly adaptive and innovative and will continue to find new ways to spread fear and chaos. It is imperative that counterterrorism specialists begin planning a robust response to the threat, not only in terms of detection and counter-measure technology, but also the training necessary to defend against attacks by weaponised drones. Over the long run, laws and policies governing drone use need to be developed before an attack takes place, not in its aftermath.