Drone Warfare - A Foundational Guide: Thinking Clearly About Uncrewed Warfare

By Freddie Jones

For the purposes of war, before you make, buy, integrate, use drones, it can be helpful to consider/reconsider the core factors, considerations, tensions and tradeoffs and the heart of uncrewed warfare. This book covers the basics and is designed to support you in thinking clearly about drone warfare.

This book covers a varied of uncrewed systems (land/sea/air) as well as the chapter headings listed below.

Content Overview:

Part 1.
- Frame Types and Groupings
- Imaging Sensors
- Positional Sensors
- Finding Targets
- Propulsion and Manoeuvre
- Signals and Control
- Countering Drones - Detect and Identify
- Countering Drones - Engagement and Defeat

Part 2.
- Mission Types
- Piloting
- Route Planning and Navigation
- Communications Management
- Launch, Basing and Recovery
- Munitions and Payloads
- Data and Intelligence
- Authorities and Legal Considerations
- Support, Sustainment and Training

Bonus - Questions

Extract: "A former Royal Marines Commando and Intelligence Analyst, I was fortunate to have many interesting conversations with those tackling the evolving nature of warfare. During those conversations and subsequent reading I have attempted to distil the fundamentals of uncrewed warfare. I have approached this with a beginners mindset, using the tools taught to me during to me during my intelligence training.

Often, an intelligence analyst is not the subject matter expert on any given topic that they may tackle, nor do they have perfect awareness of all factors. Their job is to research and present that research in a way that empowers decision makers and operators with an understanding grounded in limitations.

This book is not designed to prescribe solutions, or create the new tactics and strategies of drone warfare. I believe that I am not the correct person to attempt such a book. Instead, I have simply attempted to list the basics and explore some of the apparent tactical, operational and strategic tensions that arise from such machines.

If this book were about chess, it would label the pieces, describe the board and attempt to list the ways in which the pieces interact. I have attempted to do the same for uncrewed warfare. The rest is left to you."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1764686519
• ISBN13: 9781764686518
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Freddie Jones
• Length: 226 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"