Accessibility
One of the perceived benefits of drone warfare is that it makes warfare more accessible. This accessibility is supported by large scale manufacturing and newfound stealth in drones. Drones have not always been easy to acquire, but recent innovations have made them easier than ever to buy, “In the early days of the war in Ukraine, soldiers beat back Russian invasion by adding deadly modifications to the Mavic, a drone sold to hobbyists by DJI, a Chinese company that is the world largest drone manufacturer. Versions of the Mavic cost between $300 and $5,000”(Stockman). Large scale drone manufacturing has only recently started in full effect due to the rise in hobbyists and innovations in drones. Large scale manufacturing makes them highly accessible to just about anybody in the world who wants one, which includes militaries who are in need of modern weaponry. Production at this rate also significantly decreases the prices, which allows militaries to purchase more than they would have before. The ability to acquire large amounts of drones for cheap prices makes drone warfare more accessible to any country, regardless of the funds they have.
Drone accessibility doesn't come to a halt with cheap pricing and vast quantities. Along with making it easier to acquire drones, it also makes it easier to get close to the enemy, “That drone, called the Archer, managed to hover about 10 feet over the soldiers’ heads, despite their jamming equipment. Its radio toggled between multiple frequencies, switching every time the soldier tried to jam it” In previous wars it would have been challenging to get within 10 feet of an enemy soldier. With soldiers' lives on the line, getting close to the enemy wasn't always a good idea. But with drone’s evolving ability to avoid jamming equipment and get closer to enemies, soldiers would now be able to get closer to the enemies than ever before, without putting their life on the line. This makes warfare more accessible to countries that might not have the advantage in numbers, and to other countries who just don't want to risk a portion of their population.
