President Barack Obama’s use of armed drones to kill terrorists has dominated the debate about unmanned aerial vehicles, while comparatively little attention has been given to non-weaponized drones. Yet these unarmed drones may be even more important to manage the terrorist threat.

The United States should effectively use its fleet of unarmed surveillance drones to comprehensively combat activities that sustain terrorist organizations – namely transnational criminal enterprises that illegally trade in everything from arms and drugs, to cigarettes, to counterfeit clothing and ivory, and even take part in kidnappings.

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