Babbage: How drones are transforming warfare in Ukraine

The use of drones in the war in Ukraine has been increasing. Unmanned vehicles capture battlefield images, relay co-ordinates, and strike targets in Ukraine and even Russia. Whether purpose-built military devices or off-the-shelf civilian technology, the drones are having an outsized impact. How are they influencing battles? And what do they mean for the future of warfare?

Oliver Carroll, our correspondent in Ukraine, explores the purpose and effectiveness of drones in the war. Ulrike Franke of the European Council on Foreign Relations explains the potential that drone technology offers to armies. Plus, The Economist’s Benjamin Sutherland travels to Kyiv, to investigate how engineers in underground workshops are tinkering with consumer drones and turning them into military machines. Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, hosts.  

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