With Russian drones recently invading NATO countries’ airspace, both experts and journalists become prominent voices in shaping the discussion around the potential revolutionary effect of drone usage on contemporary warfare and international security. The media often frame the use of drones as “revolutionary” and “game-changing,” whereas experts urge caution, warning that such descriptions can be overly sensational. In his first peer-reviewed publication, our Ph.D. candidate Zakir Rzazade examines this divide between journalists and experts, revealing that journalists are more inclined to embrace narratives presenting drones as transformative and disruptive. Experts, on the other hand, show less agreement and remain divided over the implications of drone usage in warfare.
New research on expert-media gaps in perceptions of drone warfare