Drones and the Law: International Responses to Rapid Drone Proliferation presents innovative solutions to the controversial issues raised by the drones and a critical assessment of its growing use as a weapon system in modern warfare and privacy issues.

The aviation industry is being transformed by the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones – commercially, militarily, scientifically and recreationally. National regulations have generally failed to keep pace with the expansion of the fast-growing drone industry. Aviation Law and Drones: Unmanned Aircraft and the Future of Aviation traces the development of aviation laws and regulations, explains how aviation is regulated at an international and national level, considers the interrelationship between rapidly advancing technology and legislative attempts to keep pace, and reviews existing domestic and international drone laws and issues (including safety, security, privacy and airspace issues). Against this background, the book uniquely proposes a rationale for, and key provisions of, guiding principles for the regulation of drones internationally – provisions of which could also be implemented domestically. Finally, the book examines the changing shape of our increasingly busy skies – technology beyond drones and the regulation of that technology. The world is on the edge of major disruption in aviation – drones are just the beginning. Given the almost universal interest in drones, this book will be of interest to readers worldwide, from the academic sector and beyond.

The technological characteristics of drones, together with the law, have been instrumental in expanding warfare in time and space in the counter-terrorism context.

The development of drones for surveillance and military missions has revolutionized modern warfare. Today, law enforcement is merely learning the ropes at the dawn of the drone technology revolution in policing and government regulation. From securing borders, to involvement in active shooter situations, terrorism, emergency management, and security and prevention, this book explores the incredible capabilities drones may provide those who work in public safety and emergency response. It also tackles the troubling legal and ethical implications of using these dynamic and rapidly developing technologies on the public.

Drone strikes have become a key feature of counterterrorism operations in an increasing number of countries. This work explores the different domestic and international legal regimes that govern the manufacture, transfer, and use of armed drones. Chapters assess the legality of armed drones under jus ad bellum, the law of armed conflict, the law of law enforcement, international human rights law, international criminal law and domestic civil and criminal law. The book also discusses the application of law to fully autonomous weapons systems where computer algorithms decide who or what to target and when to fire.

This book examines rights issues in relation to visual privacy in the use of civilian drones. Here, visual privacy is described as the freedom from a combination of unwanted activities directed towards an individual, such as observing, recording, and publishing of personal visual information without an individual’s consent. The book answers the question of whether visual observation of an individual with the help of the camera systems onboard a civilian drone is lawful in light of EU law. It also discusses the legality of the subsequent recordings and publications. The issues are considered in terms of the European Convention of Human Rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union and EU General Data Protection Regulation. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers, academics and policy-makers working in the areas of technology, privacy and human rights law.

While conventional warfare has an established body of legal precedence, the legality of drone strikes by the United States in Pakistan and elsewhere remains ambiguous. This book explores the legal and political issues surrounding the use of drones in Pakistan. Drawing from international treaty law, customary international law, and statistical data on the impact of the strikes, Sikander Ahmed Shah asks whether drone strikes by the United States in Pakistan are in compliance with international humanitarian law. The book questions how international law views the giving of consent between States for military action, and explores what this means for the interaction between sovereignty and consent. The book goes on to look at the socio-political realities of drone strikes in Pakistan, scrutinizing the impact of drone strikes on both Pakistani politics and US-Pakistan relationships. Topics include the Pakistan army-government relationship, the evolution of international institutions as a result of drone strikes, and the geopolitical dynamics affecting the region. As a detailed and critical examination of the legal and political challenges presented by drone strikes, this book will be essential to scholars and students of the law of armed conflict, security studies, political science and international relations.

The Handbook of International Humanitarian Law sets out a black letter text of international humanitarian law accompanied by case analysis and extensive explanatory commentary by a team of distinguished and internationally renowned experts. This is the fourth edition of this influential and comprehensive handbook. It has been extensively updated and revised, taking into account recent legal developments, such as the 2017 Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty, as well as the ongoing debate on many old and new issues. Areas covered by the book include the notion of direct participation in hostilities; air and missile warfare; military operations in outer space; military cyber operations; belligerent occupation; operational detention; and the protection of the environment in relation to armed conflict. The continuing need to consider borderline issues of the law of armed conflict as well as the interplay of international humanitarian law, human rights law, and other branches of international law is highlighted. This Handbook provides an in-depth understanding of the development and current problems of the law of armed conflicts. It considers legal and policy issues both from the views of academics and military and diplomatic practitioners. Finally - and most importantly - it offers a complete account of activities that should be taken to improve the implementation and enforcement of international humanitarian law.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea and involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine has in many respects set back post-Cold War improved relations between Russia, the United States, and Europe. The continued war in Syria threatens the security and stability of many countries in the Middle East and attacks by ISIS and other terrorist organizations are causing increased fear and instability in Iraq and in neighbouring countries. In many areas negotiations on disarmament and arms control are at a standstill. In Disarmament under International Law, John Kierulf examines and discusses how disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation of both conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction are regulated in existing treaties and conventions. From his perspective as a former disarmament negotiator, Kierulf explains the United Nations’ disarmament machinery and procedures, and describes the UN’s essential role in promoting disarmament. Underlining the continued and serious threat posed by nuclear weapons, Kierulf appeals for increased and effective international efforts to reduce their number and ultimately eliminate them. Presenting information and analysis on a comprehensive range of issues, Disarmament under International Law is an essential guide for anyone interested in gaining knowledge about the current state of international security.

International law's rich existence in the world can be illuminated by its objects. International law is often developed, conveyed and authorized through its objects and/or their representation. From the symbolic (the regalia of the head of state and the symbols of sovereignty), to the mundane (a can of dolphin-safe tuna certified as complying with international trade standards), international legal authority can be found in the objects around us. Similarly, the practice of international law often relies on material objects or their image, both as evidence (satellite images, bones of the victims of mass atrocities) and to found authority (for instance, maps and charts). This volume considers these questions; firstly what might the study of international law through objects reveal? What might objects, rather than texts, tell us about sources, recognition of states, construction of territory, law of the sea, or international human rights law? Secondly, what might this scholarly undertaking reveal about the objects - as aims or projects - of international law? How do objects reveal, or perhaps mask, these aims, and what does this tell us about the reasons some (physical or material) objects are foregrounded, and others hidden or ignored. Thirdly what objects, icons and symbols preoccupy the profession and academy? The personal selection of these objects by leading and emerging scholars worldwide, will illuminate the contemporary and historical fascinations of international lawyers. As a result, the volume will be an important artefact (itself an object) in its own right, capturing the mood of international law in a given moment and providing opportunity for reflection on these preoccupations. By considering international law in the context of its material culture the authors offer a new theoretical perspective on the subject.