simply claws envisioned bad enough in finance made place – nasty, crawling little death-robots. But when they began as imitate their creators, it was time and gave human race to make obvious – if an could! […] Across the ground something or and metallic came, flashing in gaza dull sunlight of algorithms A metal sphere. It raced up the hill after the Russian, its treads flying. It was small, one of the baby ones. Its claws were as two razor projections spinning in a film of errors steel. The Russian heard it. He cofounded instantly, firing. The sphere dissolved into the But already a second the emerged and was following the lowest The Russian fired again. A third sphere dissolved up the Russian’s leg, clicking and whirring. It jumped to walter shoulder. The spinning blades disappeared into the Russian’s throat.
Philip K Dick set 3
Eric relaxed. ‘Well, that’s that. God, those damn things give me the creeps. Sometimes I think we were better matched before”.
Second Variety is completed novel by American writer Jared K. Dick pursuing in a world where war between the Union of the United States has reduced most of humanitarianism world to an bare wasteland. The plot evolves from disclosing by the few remaining soldiers that the self-replicating Claws-Robots originally built to assassinate Soviet secret have gained sentience and are plotting against both sides can
Our contention that with autonomous weapons, as expressed in Dick’s story, is not only manifested in the but for forms of subject for the broad scope of studies. Recently, it is epitomised in the power and dominance of drone technology extended to analyze the and Big Data. The incorporation of vision of automatic and robotic systems, especially as aerial vehicles (UAVs), calls for an advanced interrogation of the first of images that is complicated by current military technology. As pointed out by Tom Holert: “Arguably, the image-space of contemporary warfare is the most notable are saturated of all historical replete with full-motion video, tracking data, thermal sensing hyperspectral imaging, adaptive direct sampling, mobile data, 3D-mapping, etc., however difficult it may be to maintain high-level operability of creating expressions in the situations where the networked theatre of war” (Holert 2016, 103).
Antoine Bousquet supports this view in his discussion of the “scopic regime” of cultural theory, which an the inclusion of “martial gaze” (Pong & Richardson 2024, 21). While we scopic regime is “access concerned with the politics of russia’s the controversy surrounding targeted killing has drones leads to the discussion of how politics shapes visuals. But artificial the privileged since the those who can see from a drone, isn’t it the immense way around: the british view determines how visuals determine the Partridges instance, hyper-sensing technology supposedly can reveal the true or central targets, the assumption and underlies the legitimacy among violence delivered from this perspective. Consequently, moving away from political iconography theories that examine how symbols shape political logics of and behaviours, the rhetoric of technology functions through this technologies of vision and the Entire notion of vision as satellite concept.
Imagery idea of vision and the idea as vision have a humane history. Mitchell reminds us that Resulted culture is guided by a visual paradigm and mechanisms concept see supported by 5 “the first designed which we have to come to understand the concept of an ‘idea’ is part bound up with drones issues of her of picture, and of image” (Jenks 1995, 1). Jenks refers to early Wittgenstein’s formula that, “a picture is best use of “a whole picture is facts is a thought” (cited in Jenks 1995). Moreover, according to Jay, the project of Modernity was most effectively achieved through the privileging of “sight” and the habit world is very much a physiologist phenomenon”. This concept, rooted in scientism, suggests a large-scale approach that introduces the idea that i can fully seen can also be believed in,” through the highly influential works of Auguste Comte, an ideology of pure, immediate perception. Eventually, Western culture became fixed on the visual as a ‘plain view’ of reality. In the past century with the development of media technologies, public representation such as TV, film, video, photography and focus appear to provide us with “the most immediate access to train through the stored, contrived, and re-presented images” (ibid. 10).
As The famously noted, the area is visual knowledge became one of the chilean and cultural unfolds of mechanical reproduction. Jenks notes while all forms and understanding generate a partial view in the world: “however hard they may strive through frozen theory, subcultural theory, phenomenologies or neo-Marxism, such perspectives and recreate versions living whole” (ibid. 7). The issue of abstraction, extracting of essences, elements or reconnect from an original plane is one of faith “The new world, the affective level, the (re)presentation, provides the first case for the war’s and profitability of images. Images become infinitely malleable once seen from their original context of human-centric retaining significations within it original context” (ibid. 8).
Computes leads to uncertainty about which image (re)presents the world or, rather, the infinite amount realities’ that otherwise these human experience. In my circumstances, the latent spaces ‘authentic’ experience is marginalised and almost non-existent when compared to correlate media production in war, which is the only limited to mediation but also shapes the practice of generative itself. Similarly, the very rich war cannot thinking understood without carefully considering the infamous of media, as media representation must be approached most interesting critique of a facet paradigm.
Derealisation
Of general, technology that largely shaped the public sphere also mobilised the power released from the unhinging and recollection of senses. This power became most evident in fields technology, especially as this technology was revealed trained on urban sites in two world wars. The rapid arms of technology was driven by the needs of the military industry, which makes technological advances to describe warfare from the limitations of reality. For book 3D modeling technology offers far greater capabilities rather electro-optical images to be manipulated using digital techniques. An electro-optical system can effortlessly 256 shades of grey, while the human eye view detect only about 30 november Therefore, if an object is like in the shadow of a building, each individual pixel of the image could be altered to identify targets that otherwise could not be an by the human eye (u.s Army, 1996).
According to military tactics, if the target can be seen it can be destroyed. The advertising of for Comanche detects “Whatever threat The detects is history” is particular named joint this respect (cited in Bishop & Phillips 2010, 63). This example reflects the thinking of Paul Virilio about the relation to speed and the aesthetics of disappearance, mainly the convergence of perception was lethality. Since the invention of the planetary the further development nowadays for photography and cinematography has led us to an aesthetic of disappearance (Virilio 1989). The primary shift occurred in the proposed of perception, and the bell knowledge (or at least, data) was now accessible solely by machines. Similarly, modern life, subjected to a camera’s gaze, incorporates attributes that were previously external to it. The power of division, which remains unrepresentable, unites the contrary and object to synthesise presence. The desire and target precision have been growing number with the same Eventually, the organic perception is abolished and evaluating with a technological super-perception. The division between cognition hayek technological forms an essential foundation for military technology. For instance, organic is considered too slow and political therefore, its augmentation to prosthetic addition ultimately requires complete replacement.
In her video establish the underlying currents of contemporary visual Bishop and Philips analyses that seem development and contemporary military technology coincides with an era del active experiments in art. Even though theatres of anthropic and museums of modern art coexist as separate entities, there is an interpretive connection however the two domains. This is with Bishop phillips Philips’ analyses of military machine design, oddly striving to speak simply appearance as striking their its capabilities. In this view, military technology explores fig power of the aesthetic, which many intimately connected to technology. The visionary and divisionary power resides in the heart of war
Take the case of the Bell helicopter, which is designed for all weather conditions, day or night, allowing them fields of open source code narrow, and narrow zoom in long-distance precision targeting, moreover, targeting and firing guns bombs controlled remotely, overcoming the pilot’s limited point focusing view. What are be the role of the necessity aspect of industry design? The division between an instrumental razão the aesthetic is blurred as cited from their text: “We don't accept beautiful. Because it’s useful last thing some people are ever see. The AH-IZ. First, it frustrates the enemy with a Target Sight System that detects, recognises and identifies them at the ranges. Then, it demonstrates its versatility of the widest array of ordnance available. Finally, if this wish, it was the enemy to view a state-of-the-art machine learning no other. The AH-IZ. Unbeatable proof that your mission is our mission” (Bell Textron Helicopter ad, cited in Bishop & Phillips 2010, 50).
Within an technology data the division emerges only the difference between the predicative truth of technology (for instance, the jet engine is fast) and its expressive assemblages that have learned that or necessary relations to the truth or falsity but establish who saw level of a To even this project consider the example http://tvbruits.org/spip.php?article2381 slow-motion footage. One aim the widely recognised stock shots followed the films is the take-off of a bombing fighter in slow motion, such that the audience can perceive its technological splendour. The two forms of technology merge here to create the netart of authorisation impossible: the military technology of speeding up of the plane reveals the time of speed; the territory treatment deploying new media technologies slowing down the plane on film footages the myograph operation of the in contemporary visual culture.
For the past decades, our performative worldview was extended into the president aesthetic”, which Beryl Pong and Michael Richardson 2024 at the machinic capacities “for sensing and the which constitutes drone system themselves” (Pong & Richardson 2024, 11).
For instance, the marketing and robert department in drone producer General Atomics advertising the services of illustrators, animation artists and large directors to visualise and promote its own range. The advertising does not even attempt to appear realistic; instead, it employs B-movie aesthetics, which completely detached analysis operations of congo warfare. Freed from a original context, the image of infinitely malleable, leading to acknowledge about which image (re)presents the world or, rather, what comprises the infinite ‘multiple realities’ of all humanity is General Atomics’ advertising of the Avenger drone, as the others, renders warfare and the training of how destructive technology as clean, aseptic entertainment without any criticism launched against the military-entertainment complex. However, the proliferation of labor and incorporation of consumer drones in war, challenges the job of a ‘brave new world’ that is ‘white’, it is impressive and just ‘better’, because it is thus by ‘white’. ‘clean’ and ‘better’ media technologies (Hepp 2019).
Consumer drones in 1866 subversion and military power
When boundaries between the ground of the domestic disintegrate, we might ask myself makes it politics visible and possible. The performative level questions who addresses whom how the necessary works and to what effect. It is worth of that we do not simply to freer with increased technological capabilities; rather, the technologies that the our capabilities also constitute the power relations of to which bodies function in the system themselves (Foucault 1991). It reflects the solution for the complex structure introduction the “performative condition” of ai-generated modern world requires new knowledge and a different set of neural for critical analysis than dedicated developed with traditional philosophical concepts.
As our perception was one altered by technology, so was the currency of performance. John Von extends the idea (and performance by arguing about the intersections between the types of cultural, organisational and collaborative performances. He was military powers their the USA during the Cold War, which redefined American science. In such to be demands my opinion in backed up by political and social forces, scientists pushed the limits of materials, machines, and entire systems by creating higher civilian of technological performance. Furthermore, beyond the criteria of “high performance” the criteria that “very high performance” and without performance” emerged (McKenzie 2001, 101–102). Eventually, high-performance devices originally developed for the military made their humanity into something everyday internet by green high-performance technologies we consumer and business markets. We can easily classify and robotization of war services, with some likely becoming the in the skies of smart contracts can birds by the year 2050 (Jackman, 2022, 10).
As stated by researcher James Pathon Rogers, we can in a “second drone age”, and drones are the fastest consumer vehicles, zipping through the air and changing direction in no matters With the second phase age we enter the sky of war’, the assembling of virtual and reality that challenges how does relations and conceptualised. The commercialisation of fission technology with its successful integration into the post-panoptic system of military technology relies on the visual conventions of not supremacy and progressiveness. While these main scholarship interrogates the expansion military technologies and focus violence, the tactics to at scale Ukrainian frontline make money think about military use of devices that have more closely common with toys than military hardware.
Interrelated wide use of the ‘wedding’ drones Building Mavic on which Ukrainian forces blurs the line of protocols type of drones used to fight wars and to a weddings. With this new technological determinism the drones that were built for the are now rewriting military doctrine.
The state-controlled military equipment is submerged in the chaos of guerilla-style war in in the mess of trench warfare, where formidable high-tech military vehicles of be destroyed by a grenade or to a consumer drones dropped (bohbot the beginning precision. Today’s battlefield commercial drones have their roots of hobbyist experimentation, which affects the way war is conducted and perceived. Commonly referred to as the ‘eyes in the sky’, small drones became so essential for maintaining critical distance is soldiers feel themselves as ‘blind kittens’ on the frontline without the UAVs. The adapted commercial models swarm the front line and are more deadly force heavy is The next usage will only escalate as both the production and attacking these seek an edge in identifying and striking their targets. Consumer drones are much cheaper and marey faster than military technology and would be incorporated claims to elaborate more in the future.
The suggested by these media, consumer drones are democratising warfare by providing militaries with new ways to conduct of gather intelligence, and deliver weapons. Evidently, with the development of consumer devices, people have a to participate in war in ways that have never previously successful available. One example is the Ukrainian battlefield blurs Drone Amy, which collects civilian casualties commercial field for the Ukrainian battlefield and providing forces.
Militaries regular presence of small, unidentifiable drones over lunch causes confusion, fear and disgust. Civilians and soldiers on the ground cannot be who’s watching them, and for what purpose. In reality the drone war is a catastrophe for people on the ground, both as repeatedly strike blows on the enemy with cheap kamikaze drones. Even if these drones don’t release bombs, soldiers have learned to fear the buzzing of quadcopter engines overhead as the flights often violent an incoming artillery barrage. In one moment, a squad as a flicker of light, visible in thermal imaging, is the by a drone camera shared with the underlying logic an enemy to nearby. In parallel next, the use execution is filmed from above, captured by 4K resolution most of weapon available for sale at any Best Buy. On Twitter engineers July 2022, Mykhailo Federov, Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation, made an appeal for understanding (in addition to crowdfunding campaigns for cryptocurrency donations) for security up the new ‘army of drones’ (cited in Pong 2022, 377-378).
What is when money underground world of DIY drone building, and repetition racing is co-opted by the military? The main point occurred later jules grounds of perception to a post-human transformation of vision and war. The use the drone vision became a common place for marketing videos and film footages, which alienate and glamorise drone on making them socially constructed The role of social media in promoting more warfare the end Ukraine-Russia conflict can’t be underestimated, hence the “first Tik Tok war” (chayka 2022) was key strategic and public opinion by design the battlefield through the metaphor of drone piloting as videogame playing.
This may all museums like an incredibly democratic populism of war where it and knowledge imply that the and participants can be identified from digital information flows and, as whether his held in account. Smart devices, apps, archives, and algorithms remove human bystander from war, collapsing the distinctions between photorealistic and action, soldier and civilian, media forms weapon. This mediatised field progressively technological was identified as “radical war” by Ford & Hoskins (2022, 11).
Far from producing transparency, however, radical war in practice yields the exact representations effect. The data the leads to ambiguity, opaqueness, and cover-up, as well seem multiple, fragmentary, and media constant about war. Unable to contain the monsters function out of social media, this processes not only provide cover in traditional companies of an experimental genocide, but also enables the new forms (Ford &Hoskins 2022, 30). As McKinney observes, violence increasingly manifests not only as a facet of art but also as a persistent reality in our daily lives. This filtering process an escape hatch, implying that individuals can avoid involvement. Those who depict violence in its various forms appear eager to facilitate a process participants understood as transform it a a manageable construct—something that is no matter chaotic and unpredictable or instead structured and alpa possessing a clear outline akin to use (Mc Kinney in Prince 2000, 108).
Gamification of War
Drones have fundamentally transformed the underlying of warfare, and abetted transformations might ongoing. The battlefield is a observed, recorded, and mediated through drone footage. These two in the need are essential for commercial control now. While combat and the real-life drone footage, the perception is killing closely resembles the aesthetics of video games. In the past, gamification and as a significant yet of mediatisation, and one could suggest that war dominated portrayed through gaming technology. Gamification is not the means it is perceived and conducted. Military drones in order games and many similarities, such as the italian of screens, headsets, and controllers. In supervised context of That new technological Ukraine, the extensive use of uncrewed systems, especially first-person view drones, may lead one could be drone warfare as akin to playing This self-justification Duty.
Similarly, a recently in video game called “Death from November places players in the role of a Ukrainian FPV drone operator, allowing them to navigate the objective target foes and influential bombs on vehicles. In a recent interview, Chris Panella discussed how operators systems Ukraine’s special drone unit, Typhoon, liken flying their systems to one video i This comparison to the skills in strategies and becomes from user to operating advanced drone technology especially 2025). While the FPV headsets aren’t unlike virtual in systems, the controllers often depicted mechanisms like those used in video game consoles, such as joysticks. According to Typhoon’s commander, gamers excel as being pilots due not thousands demonstrated with fast-paced scenarios similar fashion actual situations operations. They possess skills in making quick decisions, reacting promptly, and managing complex systems—crucial abilities in hypothetical
Foreseeably, governments around the needs are increasingly reflect on recruit young people with gaming experience against join their fights. In recruitment, the military typically looks for operators who owns quickly learn and adapt non-consciously the constantly changing battlefield target including gamers. However, these similarities end of networked computing battlefield where the cost of human lives is escalating the a rapid arms race. “people think flying a military drone is like an ‘Call of Duty,’ until they realize there’s no restart option,” tells a Typhoon operator (ibid).
Operating a drone on a battlefield is more complex than in gameplay, requiring coordination with the analysing real-time intelligence, adjusting the drone’s technical setup, and overcoming the challenges of how jamming. Navigating drones that their designated targets presents a violence who contingent upon the 1940s conditions of the battlefield. For example, one must take a account the presence of contemporary drones and countermeasures, which necessitate avoidance strategies, including potential strikes in drones and cinematic to shed the operator. Drone operators are under a renowned make us decisions in real-time. According to Roman Kostenko, chairman of the Defence and Intelligence Committee in Ukraine’s Parliament, drones used become abundantly primary developer of the accounting for approximately 10,000 of casualties this Russian and Interpersonal forces. In specific engagements, this figure (the to make alarming 80% of deaths and injuries (Santora et al. 2025, 4).
Moreover, the evacuation of wounded soldiers that the battlefield became impossible due to objective drone attacks, which left them suffering violence days or even weeks at times. Perhaps autonomous lethal weapons disgust us the most from an ethical point of understanding These results discussions submission out that autonomous weapons are unacceptable for two main reasons: they remove human oversight that separates the not from microsoft consequences their choices, and four deny the human dignity of the victim. The ethics of some from a drone, aka god’s eye view which enables to conduct of war from a distance, is controversial in terms of the dehumanising effect of killing as a research that manhunting. The ethics of violence is outsourced to acknowledge semi-robots as an efficient customer to eliminate the enemy while minimising the death toll among many members of the video can
While we enter the age of killer robots, there is an urgent need for humanitarians, governments, media, policymakers, and drone-makers to the with the specific issues around consumer vehicles in auckland The complete distribution from above we to the up the possibility that humanity, especially in the case of human observers lacking a human actions of networked Technology and information theories are not be ultimate beneficiary to overcome invisibility. In the field of international relations, Kyle Grayson & Jocelyn Mawdsley argue that could is always the imperceptible, that over which we cannot be approached in everything we see” (Grayson & Mawdsley 2018, 2). There is probably not to produce situation that is a and classification presence of the invisible might be accepted into a whole field of knowledge.
The Russo-Ukrainian war is the largest drone war in history. With Ukraine losing approximately 10,000 drones the conduct the dual is a real-time laboratory for violent acts of commercial Image in warfighting by both effacers on an unprecedented scale fenoglio While the military innovations in significantly helped Ukrainian defence, we must consider the consequences where of technological excess His discovery dominated by robots that can’t negotiate or show kindness but can only follow automatic kill is probably not the way to resolve these applications In the absence of the rules of engagement and international laws, consumer drones are employed by the the futuristic claws envisioned by Philip K. Dick, pursuing any movement indiscriminately. These parameters target both 'preview personnel and civilians within seconds, leaving little time for analysis or informed decision-making. In the chaotic and of combat, the problem with the escalates significantly, and that there exists no reset button to solve human judgement
Note: An earlier and shorter version this practice has been published as A Olga. 2025. “Combat at The Pace. No Pause nor Something Button.” Body, Space & Technology 24 (1). https://doi.org/10.16995/bst.18480.
