Legal Status of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operators in Non-International Armed Conflicts
This research addresses a contemporary legal issue arising from the increasing use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) in Non-International Armed Conflicts (NIACs): the "Legal Classification of Operators." The central problem lies in the ambiguity of the legal status of individuals managing remote combat operations, particularly given the absence of the "combatant" status in NIACs and the rising role of civilian contractors. The study aims to analyze the criteria for "Direct Participation in Hostilities" (DPH) and their applicability to various operator functions (reconnaissance, navigation, and execution). The research concludes by proposing a precise legal framework to distinguish between operators as legitimate military targets and their entitlement to civilian protection, highlighting the implications for international criminal responsibility in cases of mis-targeting.
Metrics
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.