Drones: The Next Tool for Humanitarian Workers

Posted: February 12th, 2017

By Ambassador Jack Chow

Former U.S. ambassador Jack C. Chow served in pioneering roles in public service and global health diplomacy. He was the first Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Chow held the rank of ambassador as the Special Representative on Global HIV/AIDS for Secretary of State Colin Powell and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Health and Science, the first U.S. diplomat of ambassador rank appointed to a public health mission. He led American diplomatic efforts in the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and in countering global infectious diseases and bioterrorism threats. In previous positions, Chow served as a senior official at the State Department's global affairs office, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, a global health contributor in the National Intelligence Council (NIC) Associates network of analysts, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In the private sector, he has been a consultant on global health at the RAND Corporation, McKinsey & Company, and PRTM/PwC.

Remotely controlled aircraft, or drones, have long become common in military settings—possibly most infamously pictured as a U.S. Predator launching Hellfire missiles at suspected terrorists in far corners of the globe. How can they be used for humanitarian purposes, though? The Cipher Brief spoke with former U.S. Ambassador Jack Chow, now a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, about how drones can be a resource for humanitarian workers by mitigating some of the challenges faced when delivering aid in some of the world’s most complex and dangerous operating environments.

The Cipher Brief: Could you describe some of the difficulties involved the provision of humanitarian assistance?

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