Facing robotic combatants in humanitarian space, an update.

Although there is a lot of resistance against robotic devices that can kill someone, sometimes called killer robots, they appear more frequently in conflict zones.

This must worry us all, especially civilians and humanitarians working in these conflict areas.

These machines are intended to kill or wound enemy combatants in a conflict. But can they distinguish between a military actor and a civilian?

The events of the past few months do not indicate a promising future.

Why do these war-capable drones appear on the battlefield?

The answer is simple: because nobody wants to die.

Let’s conduct a thought experiment. You are a soldier in a trench; the enemy is watching, and you are within reach of their rifles. When the order comes, you must attack the enemy line.

Imagine that you can choose to run out of the trench towards the enemy, hoping you are not hit immediately. Or you can use a 1900-dollar robot dog to do the same. What would you choose? You know the answer.

Imagine that you must man a checkpoint. But the checkpoint is attacked often, and yesterday, a car blew up near you, and you were lucky to survive. Your three colleagues were not that lucky.

But now you can use a robot dog to approach the cars and a flying drone to inspect the car from all sides. You are in a safe place monitoring the drones. Would you do that? You might.

This is why robots will be more prevalent in conflict areas. Human interaction is great, but as a soldier, it is not always pleasant. Again, nobody wants to die.

So, you might ask how these devices are used. Let us look at some examples.

Last fall, Ukraine used Viper drones to drop robot dogs near the front line to scout the enemy’s positions. In China, the army advertises robot dogs to enhance its infantry. Also, in Ukraine, a video showed where a robot dog packed with explosives entering a building which blew up.

But there are also more mundane examples. Many flying and walking drones are used for reconnaissance, logistics, and medical aid.

These last examples do not have to worry us that much. However, you can ask yourself what will happen after you are scouted. If they misinterpreted your non-combatant stature, artillery fire might follow.

While it may seem like science fiction, this advancement is progressing swiftly and is already in motion. As the population worldwide (except in Africa) ages fast, troops are becoming scarce. Robots are the only solution to maintaining a battlefieldpresence, which will happen in the coming years. This is not something to look forward to.

The humanitarian world must prepare itself to deal with this threat, which can be encountered first in conflict zones but, after a while, everywhere in the field.