Drones in Modern Conflict: Governance Challenges and Pathways

Abstract: Rapidly evolving drone technology is being used worldwide, from aerial photography to package delivery services, in agricultural uses and in aiding search and rescue missions after a natural disaster. Drones have also become a key tool in modern warfare and in the work of first responders. They are being acquired and used by criminals and other malicious actors which poses enhanced security threats. As drones are increasingly weaponised and incorporate enhanced AI features, public concerns about drones and calls for legal frameworks and regulations of drones are increasing. This lecture will unpack how drones fit into existing legal frameworks internationally and will consider key issues for governing the use of drones, such as airspace regulations, ethical and privacy concerns, and drone proliferation issues. It will also briefly discuss potential security implications of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles use and the rapidly growing unpiloted air taxi industry.

Dr. George M. Moore has been a Scientist-in-Residence at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey since 2012, where he teaches courses on nuclear topics and a long-running course on drones and surveillance. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and served on active duty as a Lieutenant Commander before joining Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in several staff roles. After earning a law degree from UC Berkeley, he became in-house counsel at Pacific Gas & Electric Co., then practiced aviation litigation at Kenney & Markowitz in San Francisco. Following 9/11, Dr. Moore returned to LLNL as a staff member from 2002 to 2007. He then served as a Senior Analyst in the Office of Nuclear Security at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna for five years before joining MIIS.

Technical Contact: Brad Roberts            
Event Manager: Katie Thomas, thomas94 [at] llnl.gov (thomas94[at]llnl[dot]gov)