Drones Are Changing Warfare—And Not Everyone’s Happy About It
Earlier this month, President Trump signed a batch of executive orders aimed at loosening restrictions on drones, flying cars, and supersonic jets. The White House framed it as a move to reclaim America’s control over its skies. But while the administration sees economic potential, others see something darker—a world where cheap, off-the-shelf drones are becoming weapons.
And it’s already happening. From Ukraine to Sudan, drones aren’t just delivering packages or filming weddings anymore. They’re blowing up military bases, disabling aircraft, and even striking civilian infrastructure. A $300 drone can now do damage that once required missiles or fighter jets. That’s a problem no one’s fully figured out how to handle.
The New Battlefield
Take Ukraine, for example. In early June, Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated attack—dubbed *Operation Spider Web*—using 117 modified commercial drones. They hit Russian airbases across multiple regions, damaging high-value aircraft. The drones weren’t military-grade. They were the kind you might buy online, smuggled in trucks and guided by AI.
It’s not just Ukraine. In Sudan, insurgents have used drones to attack airports. Off the coast of Malta, a boat was set ablaze by drone strikes. And in Israel’s recent *Operation Rising Lion*, drones reportedly smuggled into Iran struck missile launchers before they could be fired.
The trend is clear: drones are leveling the playing field in ways that make militaries—and security experts—nervous.
Security Risks at Home
Eric Brock, who heads a company developing anti-drone tech, says U.S. officials are worried about similar attacks here. “Imagine a swarm of drones hitting a refinery, a port, or even a stadium,” he told *Decrypt*. “Local law enforcement often doesn’t have the tools—or the legal authority—to stop it.”
The new executive orders do try to address some of these gaps. They expand no-fly zones, improve coordination between agencies, and set up a national training center for drone security. Brock thinks that’s a start, but he admits it’s not enough. “Drones can do a lot of good—delivering medicine, helping farmers, disaster response. But with more drones in the sky, the risks go up too.”
The Bigger Problem: Nobody’s Really in Control
Grant Jordan, who runs a drone detection firm, points out another issue: drones are invisible in a way traditional aircraft aren’t. “If you see a helicopter, you know it’s police or news,” he said. “A drone? No idea who’s flying it or why.”
Michael Healander, whose company advised the White House on the new rules, wouldn’t say whether recent drone attacks influenced the policy. But he acknowledged the obvious: “Drones are changing everything—commerce, conflict, all of it.”
The question now is whether regulations can keep up. Because right now, the drones are winning.
