Introduction

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones, as they are commonly known, for surveillance purposes and for lethal operations against suspected terrorist targets was at the centre of United States counterterrorism policy during Barack Obama's two- term presidency, and is now being continued by Donald Trump's administration. While the US use of drones, especially for so- called targeted killings, has been the most discussed and controversial use of drone technology, their use for non- military purposes is becoming increasingly commonplace. Drones in all shapes and sizes are entering our skies, raising serious questions about how they are being used, by whom, for what purposes and with what consequences.

For journalists, drones pose a range of challenging questions. At the lethal end of official government drone usage, how can journalists verify what has or has not been executed with a weaponised drone when their deployment is still largely shrouded in secrecy and their effects often too remote geographically for reliable accounting after the fact? How might journalists themselves use drone technology to access visuals or sound recordings that they would otherwise not be able to reach? What does this technology do to privacy, to public safety and to civil rights whether being used by government, by journalists or by private companies? How might journalists themselves be targeted with drones to expose their work and potentially undermine their freedom to gather information and investigate government or private sector practices?

This chapter will engage with the wide range of drone technology applications by the military, police, government agencies, private sector companies and individuals to ask what will happen as drones become more ubiquitous over the skies of the United States, Britain, Australia and other countries.