Drones are creating a new type of warfare in Ukraine. The latest unexpected twist is ‘non-contact surrender’ in which a drone with a speaker and microphone approaches Russian troops and invites them to lay down their arms. They follow the drone back to Ukrainian lines where they are taken safely into captivity.
Drones have previously been associated with brutal up-close warfare in this conflict, but the new tactic suggests they could make future wars more humane.
The First Remote Surrenders
Back in 1991 during the Gulf War, a U.S. Navy Pioneer RQ-2A drone was carrying out a reconnaissance mission, assessing the effects of gunfire from the battleship USS Wisconsin. As the drone made a low pass over Faylaka Island near Kuwait City, 40 Iraqi soldiers appeared and indicated their desire to surrender. This was the first known occasion when soldiers had surrendered to an uncrewed vehicle.
The media found giving up to an unarmed drone slightly comical. But as the Iraqis knew that the Pioneer was guiding the battleship’s gunfire, and that its appearance could indicate another salvo was on its way, giving up was probably a smart move.
The conflict in Ukraine has seen several instances of surrender to drones. This is possible because both sides use ‘Mavik’ quadcopters, often DJI consumer drones or similar, which can hover at low altitude. A person on the ground can see the drone, and the operator can clearly see an individual on the ground and determine whether they are armed and whether are making a gesture of surrender.
Accepting the surrender of an enemy is risky in close combat. One video shows a Russian soldier faking surrender then tossing a grenade at Ukrainian troops – this is a war crime , known as ‘perfidy’— and there have been many cases where surrendering troops have apparently been shot out of caution – also a war crime.
Accepting surrender remotely by drone is much safer. The surrendering soldier can be led to a suitable location and ordered to lie flat or remove clothing to ensure they do not have hidden weapons or hostile intent, without the risk involved in close-quarter encounters.
Psychological Drone Warfare
Drone surrenders seen so far mainly seem to have been chance encounters between reconnaissance drones and soldiers who wanted to give themselves up.
Drones are also dropping surrender leaflets over enemy lines, and idea which goes back to 1870 when they were dropped from balloons during the siege of Paris. The modern version has a QR code and may include a link for secure communication to arrange surrender. Ukraine has an ‘I Want to Live’ hotline for Russian soldiers which reportedly gets over 200 contacts a day.
I Want To Live has arranged more than 4,000 surrenders. The hotline arranges a specific time and location where the Russian soldier is told to await a quadcopter to lead them to Ukrainian lines.
The latest video suggests that the Ukrainians are using drones in a more active and organized way to solicit and accept surrender rather than waiting for the Russians to get in touch. A drone equipped with speaker and microphone can not only fly over enemy lines broadcasting surrender messages, but it can establish a two-way communication with anyone who wants to take up the offer.
The constant presence of enemy drones can has powerful psychological effect. Many videos show drop drones repeatedly bombing the same individual with grenades until they are confirmed to be dead. An increasing number of videos show Russian soldiers shooting themselves when FPV drones approach, preferring a clean end to a prolonged chase and bleeding out slowly. The relief at the prospect of imminent death being replaced by the safe captivity must be considerable.
A soldier caught in an artillery barrage or attacked by crewed aircraft cannot surrender, even if at some point they realize their position is hopeless. Drones change that. A soldier under drone attack can stand up, wave a white flag or raise their hands and know that the gesture will be seen by their attackers who have the option of striking or not. If the Russians have a reasonable expectation that they can safely surrender, they may well do so. Establishing that reasonable expectation that surrender will be accepted is crucial.
Drones And Safe Surrender
Surrender may become more common in this conflict. The Ukrainian operation in Kursk has taken a significant number of Russian prisoners, over 2,000 by some accounts, with some of them surrendering in large groups. Many are border guards or other second-line troops who were never ready for actual battle. Much larger numbers of Russian troops may be receptive to an offer of surrender, if they receive it, and drones may be a good way to facilitate the process.
A recent paper in the Chicago Journal of International Law on Technologically Enabled Surrender Under the Law of Armed Conflict makes some interesting points. The authors note that this laws aim to balance humanitarian aims with obvious military necessity. The requirements for surrender to be genuine, clear and unconditional, and feasible to accept, are all more straightforward when drone technology is available.
“It appears likely that technologically enabled surrender is safer and more efficient for all parties involved,” concludes the paper.
The next step would be a drone or ground robot able to carry out a detailed weapon search with a metal detector or similar, perhaps with a device to apply zip ties or similar means to secure a captive.
Future wars may resemble post-apocalyptic movies as soldiers hide under the wrecks of burned-out vehicles, waiting for death as drones buzz overhead. But when the drone operator can tell the targets they are cornered and had better surrender now, 21st century conflict might be far more civilized and less bloody.
