Drones

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? Drones scramble war plans

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Fatal attacks on U.S. troops in the Middle East, harassment of ships in the Red Sea and the balance of power in Russia's war against Ukraine share a dangerous common thread: the rise of cheap drones. Why it matters: This evolution of warfare, driven by accessible and inexpensive materials, is upending decades of U.S. military planning, spending and dominance, Axios' Colin Demarest writes. Zoom in: Here's where drones are already changing warfare. In Ukraine, skies teem with unmanned aerial systems that can guide shelling or act as bombs. Iran's Shahed series of drones was at the heart of its April bombardment of Israel. North Korean drones have crossed the border and menaced South Korea's capital. Seoul pledged to beef up countermeasures and established a centralized drone command. Between the lines: Unmanned systems can range from toylike and mass-produced to high-tech and precious. They can be used to surveil, relay information, deceive and attack, all while keeping the user out of harm's way. First-person-view drones popular in Eastern Europe can cost as little as $500. They are MacGyvered with cheap components and can wreck much larger targets, like tanks. Keep reading.