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This seems very solid. You mention a need for documentation to distinguish between attacks by large drones vs by small drones, but that gets more complicated in light of large drones equipped to carry smaller drones or loitering munitions rather than direct-attack weapons, right?

I don't know if this distinction is meaningful to civilians actively trying to avoid being harmed by them, though.

wait, so we need to change IHL before we can skeet shoot the buzzers?

I mean you can shoot at them, it’s just that you lose your right to claim you’re a civilian and thus can’t be legally shot back at when you do

i appreciate this. ive read alot of what you've written on 'you can't shoot drones', but i don't think i've wrapped my head around this aspect, especially from a local perspective. is it defense if they shoot first?

And hower bad the problem is now, it is going to be much, MUCH worse when the Ukraine war ends. There are going to be a LOT of people with horrific PTSD and exactly one marketable skill. Depending on how the war ends one sides drone personnel may have an urgent need to move to a different country.

we also need to develop IHL training for drone operators of who is a valid combatant, a protected civilian, is surrendering, and is hors de combat and requirements for the drones to be labeled with their nation of operation. That video of one chasing a Ukrainian fruit seller was deeply disturbing.

We absolutely do need to do that as well, though unfortunately this is lower on my priority list as there is pretty much no doubt that these drone operators are 100% aware they’re targeting civilians (and they don’t care).