The Whimper, Not Bang, of Humanitarian Drones

By Kristin Bergtora Sandvik

Kristin Bergtora Sandvik is a Research Professor in Humanitarian Studies at Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and a professor of sociology of law at the University of Oslo. Sandvik obtained her doctorate from Harvard Law School in 2008, and she is the Co-Founder and former Director of the Norwegian Center for Humanitarian Studies. Sandvik is widely recognized in the humanitarian field for her critical engagement with humanitarian technology. Most recently, she is the co-editor of The Good Drone (Routledge 2017).

While receiving significant publicity from global media, the rise of the humanitarian drone is so far more of a whimper than a bang. This article explores some critical perspectives behind the limited use of drones.

In 2016, the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) undertook the first systematic survey on perceptions and use of humanitarian drones. The survey found that roughly only 1 in 10 of an already very select group of respondents had actual experience with drones in humanitarian settings.

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