Drone Nation: Interesting Facts About Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

image
Published: 24 Jun, 2012
Updated: 13 Oct, 2022
1 min read

High above ground, faceless machines are flying overhead with the ability to drop hundred pound explosives on unsuspecting targets. This isn't a scene from the next Terminator movie; it is a regular occurrence in countries like Afghanistan, Yemen, and Pakistan where the US military is laying rubble to suspected terrorist hideouts.

It is no surprise that there is a groundswell of criticism around the world to the practice of sending unmanned military drones to assassinate people which has even included an American citizen last fall. While the United States is the only country where more people approve of drone strikes than disapprove according to a 2012 Pew global survey, the issue may be coming closer to home very soon.

Earlier this year, Congress approved the use of unmanned drones in US airspace and some experts estimate there could be 30,000 drones in US airspace by 2020. See the infographic below to learn some interesting facts that you should know about military drones.

Latest articles

CA capitol building dome with flags.
Why is CA Senator Mike McGuire Trying to Kill the Legal Cannabis Industry?
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. And legal cannabis businesses, still struggling to compete with unregulated sellers and mounting operating costs, saw a glimmer of hope....
03 Jul, 2025
-
7 min read
I voted buttons
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV....
03 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read