Drones in the DRC: A Case Study for Future Deployment in UN Peacekeeping

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are often associated with the American War on Terror in the Middle East due to the extensive use of the technology for armed strikes and intelligence. It is well known that UAVs have been deployed in Pakistan, Iraq, Israel, and Afghanistan; however, few are aware that drones have played an integral role in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) since 2013. This paper seeks to empirically explore the implications of UAV use in the DRC by examining issues related to data use, mandated use of force, costs, as well as the blurring of offensive and humanitarian action. By using MONUSCO as a case study to examine its successes and pitfalls, this paper concludes that although the technology provides significant benefits, there are major obstacles for scaled-up use of drones in other missions. Ultimately, costs, missions that are less politically palatable, optics, and reputational risk are major challenges for the UN to consider in order to ensure fully executed mandates and successful missions where drones are involved in the future.