“Technology is neutral. Drones have been associated with bad uses because of their military use,” said Andreas Raptopoulos, founder of Matternet. “I think there are a lot of good uses for them as well. 

It’s up to us to figure them out and really put them to work to solve the big challenges

It’s up to us to figure them out and really put them to work to solve the big challenges.”

 

Surveillance-droneDrones have certainly developed a bad reputation of late. The unmanned aircraft have become known for their potential to take life. But if used properly, drones can save lives.

Surveillance and transportation drones are being used in countries such the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, Sudan and South Sudan to help solve problems facing residents, from lack of infrastructure to warlords committing crimes against humanity. A panel of experts discussed the potential of drones to bring peace at the 2013 Social Good Summit on Monday.

Matternet uses “octocopter” drones to form transportation networks for spreading information and goods, such as medicine in Haiti.

Kevin Kennedy, chief of integrated training service for the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support, said the combination of the DRC’s massive size and lack of infrastructure make it hard to monitor violence in the country ravaged by warlords.

“Unarmed aerial vehicles have enabled us to do surveillance and map threats,” Kennedy said. “Peacekeepers who have a primary mandate to protect civilians against armed militias, who know the terrain well and obey no rules, definitely need an understanding of what’s happening on the ground.”

While she agreed about the potential of drones, panelist Whitney Williams, president of the strategic advisory firm Williamsworks, stressed the importance of involving residents in the decision-making process of what technologies get employed in their countries.

“One of the big things that we need to do is just have a dialogue with the Congolese about what they want,” Williams said.

Panelist John Prendergast co-founded the Enough Project, which aims to end genocide and crimes against humanity. He recalled how a late-night brainstorm with one of the project’s celebrity contributors, George Clooney, sparked the idea to use surveillance technology.

“‘Everywhere I go, the paparazzi is following me,'” Prendergast said, citing Clooney’s words. “‘Satellites and Google Earth can watch who’s driving in and out of my parking lot. Why isn’t there some way we can watch people committing war crimes and crimes against humanity with the same kind of comprehensiveness?'”

Despite their enthusiasm for drones, the four panelists agreed that they’re not a cure-all.

“Technology is not a silver bullet,” said Peter Yeo, executive director of the Better WorldCampaign and moderator of the panel. “It has to be married with other types of initiatives.”

If properly integrated with other technological systems and supported by political will, perhaps drones will become less known for the lives they take and more for those they save.