The risks of drones have been underscored by Russia's drone strikes in Ukraine, and Ukraine's surprise drone strikes that destroyed some aircraft deep within Russia, the White House said.
The U.S. has increased its attacks on the Houthis, launching daily strikes since March 15, when President Donald Trump ordered a new, expanded campaign.
The war in Ukraine is now largely being fought with drones. Ukraine made 2 million last year. Drone makers churn them out in factories and mom-and-pop operations like one in a Kyiv basement apartment.
Ukrainian officials say Russia is using drones to target civilians in Kherson. Some Russian soldiers appear to be bragging about the deadly attacks on social media.
Ukrainian forces are fighting to hold on to the key city of Pokrovsk, in one of the fiercest battles in eastern Ukraine, but commanders admit the Russians have more troops and firepower.
NPR visits a secret drone command center near the front lines in eastern Ukraine, where crews are using remote-controlled aircraft to hunt Russian soldiers on the battlefield.
The drones have been seen above critical infrastructure like reservoirs, rail stations and military bases. The governor says there is "no known threat," but the FBI is still investigating.
NPR has collected multiple eyewitness accounts about small, gun-carrying drones shooting — and sometimes killing — civilians in Gaza. Israel's military has not confirmed whether it uses sniper drones.
President Biden has now given Ukraine permission to use U.S. ballistic missiles inside Russia. While it was waiting, Ukraine built its own drones that can strike far across the border.
The Georgia Department of Corrections continues to struggle with an onslaught of drones that are being used to deliver contraband, such as drugs, cell phones, and potentially even the firearm used by an inmate of Smith State Prison to kill a food service worker in June.
An ecosystem of labs in hundreds of secret workshops is leveraging innovation to create a robot army that Ukraine hopes will kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians.
Five of the 31 tanks have already been lost to Russian attacks in Ukraine, where the use of surveillance and hunter-killer drones had made it difficult for them to operate.
