Introduction

This chapter introduces the reader to the main concepts and terms used in the book. It contains a brief introduction to drone technology and defining what a drone is: an aerial vehicle that exhibits some level of autonomy, and which may be remotely piloted or pre-programmed to fly set routes. The three main configurations of small drones – multirotor, fixed-wing, and vertical takeoff and landing – are shown. Two narratives surrounding drones, that of “the good drone” and “the killer drone”, are highlighted. Then, the field of applied ethics is broadly described, as is the value-sensitive design methodology: an approach to the development of technology which puts human values at the center.