La minaccia dei droni duali e le sfide per l'Italia

In recent years, the proliferation of dual-use drones has increased the intensity of the hybrid and asymmetric threat these products may pose. This threat – exacerbated by the high level of technology achieved by dual-use drones – affects both national security and that of personnel employed in out-of-area missions. In this context, the constant technological development of dual-use drones has not been accompanied by the definition of a legal framework governing their use and clearly establishing the procedures that can be used in order to counter any illegal employment of dual-use drones. It is therefore necessary to define a comprehensive regulatory framework to protect both users and operators in charge of countering this type of drones. In this context, the definition of the operational requirements and the development of systems for countering these products – constantly at the forefront of the technological frontier – are among the primary needs that Italy must face in order to ensure an effective defence. Moreover, such systems must be able to guarantee high security standards, also taking into account the specificities of the environments where the threat arises. Italy has so far distinguished itself by its willingness to lead the development of such capabilities at the European level. To strengthen this position further, synergistic and coordinated action between policy makers, the Armed and Security Forces, and the defence industry appears both necessary and potentially fruitful.