Autonomous Weapons "Could Be Developed for Use Within Years," Says Arms-Control Group

Critics warn that robotic weapons will soon be able to make killing decisions on their own

6 min read

Erico Guizzo is IEEE Spectrum's Digital Innovation Director.

Autonomous weapons include drones designed to home in on the radio emissions of enemy air-defense systems and destroy them by crashing into them
Israel Aerospace Industries’ Harop drones are designed to home in on the radio emissions of enemy air-defense systems and destroy them by crashing into them. IAI says the weapon is an “autonomous platform” but offers a “man-in-loop attack” mode. Critics argue that systems like the Harop are precursors to fully autonomous weapons that will make targeting and attack decisions without human intervention.
Photo: Israel Aerospace Industries