An **Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV)**, also commonly referred to as a **drone**, is an aircraft that is piloted remotely by human operators or flies autonomously via on-board computers. Here's a comprehensive overview of UAVs as described in the sources: * **Definition and Terminology**: * UAVs are aircraft piloted remotely by human operators or flying autonomously via on-board computers. * They are sometimes called **unmanned or uninhabited aerial vehicles**. * An **uncrewed aerial system (UAS)** combines one or more UAVs with a ground control station and a communications link. * **Deployment and Ownership**: * Several hundred UAVs, mostly **micro-UAV quadcopters**, are currently deployed in the field as **UN-owned equipment**. * **Contingents** (Member States contributing troops) have also brought larger UAVs and used them effectively. For example, the German contingent in Mali (MINUSMA) provided Heron MALE and Luna UAVs, and Sweden used AAI RQ-7 Shadow UAVs. The Contingent-Owned Equipment (COE) Manual includes provisions for nations to contribute UAVs under the self-sustainment category. * The UN procured its first UAV for the MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2013. * Low/middle-income countries (LMICs) are increasingly acquiring new UAV technologies for UN operations. * **Purposes and Capabilities in Peacekeeping**: * **Reconnaissance and Surveillance**: UAVs are used by UN missions for reconnaissance and aerial perspective. They can view terrain from an aerial perspective. * **Monitoring and Situational Awareness**: They enhance night awareness and provide a continuous, 24/7 aerial perspective of the terrain. * **Mapping and Surveying**: UAVs can be used to survey terrain for camp layout. They can generate a **digital surface model (DSM)**, including heights of natural and human-made objects, and a **digital elevation model (DEM)** for ground leveling and drainage planning. They increase efficiency in real estate choice and management for present or future locations. * **Evidence Gathering**: They can gather evidence and record images for UN investigations. * **Protection of Civilians (POC) and Humanitarian Action**: * Assess the scope of destruction in villages post-conflict. * Monitor internally displaced person (IDP) movements and activities in camps. * Identify the epicenter of a hotspot and gather peacekeeping intelligence before forces are dispatched, leading to more rapid and focused responses that can save lives. * **Protection of UN Missions**: * Assess camp lighting effectively to identify security gaps and plan improvements. * Provide camp perimeter surveillance, substituting for routine vehicle patrols to save time and fuel while maintaining alertness. * Assist with seeing water stagnation areas and water run-off patterns in camps, important for avoiding health hazards like malaria. * Assess convoy clearance by finding roadblocks and bridge blocks ahead of forces, enhancing freedom of movement. * Assess crowd size, intentions, and dynamics from a distance before engagement. * Assist in planning and executing rescue/evacuation operations, optimizing resources and avoiding overreactions. * Monitor visitor locations and travel routes, reducing the number of forces needed for protection. * **Types and Characteristics**: * Mostly **micro-UAV quadcopters** are deployed, but larger UAVs have also been used. * The DJI Phantom 4 micro-UAV, for example, costs approximately $2,500 per kit, can fly up to 3-4 km for 20-25 minutes at about 200 ft altitude, and multiple UAVs can be used for longer observation. * Some UAVs can carry lethal or non-lethal payloads, but as of 2023, the UN has **not deployed armed drones**. * **Challenges and Countermeasures**: * UN missions have faced **hostile UAVs (drones)** that scout out UN camps for fuel and ammunition dumps to be targeted in attacks. * The UN has used its own UAVs to monitor areas around camps for threats, including other UAVs. * **Anti-drone systems** consist of short-range radar and visible/infrared (IR) cameras for detection and tracking. An incoming drone can be disabled by jamming its GPS signal or control link, or by using nets, other drones, or even birds of prey to physically grab it. * The drone controller/operator can be geolocated using direction-finding equipment. * There is an ethical argument that *not* using drones could someday be considered a breach of international humanitarian law (IHL) if technologies exist to save lives and reduce risks but are not employed. * The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) works in a conflict area that has seen extensive use of armed drones by conflicting parties. In essence, UAVs represent a significant leap in the UN's ability to monitor, protect, and gather information in complex and dangerous environments, though their use also necessitates addressing new security threats posed by hostile drone technology.