As war in the Middle East widens, it’s become clear that drones now play a fundamental role in global conflict. They’ve changed the way wars are fought—and how much they cost. On today’s show, Kimberly talks with Sarah Kreps, director of the Tech Policy Institute in the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy, about how drone technology has evolved over the years, how the rise of drone warfare has changed the way global conflicts play out, and what that means for civilians.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

"Iran strike marks first time U.S. used new one-way attack drones in combat" from Task and Purpose
"Iran Fires Cheap Drones Into Arab Countries, Wreaking Havoc" from The New York Times
"How are Drones Changing War? The Future of the Battlefield" from the Center for European Policy Analysis
"America’s Eroding Airpower" from the Center for New American Security
Obama’s Final Drone Strike Data from the Council on Foreign Relations

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The U.S., Iran, and the rise of drone warfare