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Course in Ethical History of Drone Development

300-hour online course in the ethical history of drone development. 6 modules covering the Chicago Convention (1944), Article 8 (pilotless aircraft), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and Zotero. Personal tutor assigned and enrolment open.

Duration300 h
ModeOnline
Start datesOctober / March
LocationEurope (Madrid)
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Describe the origins of unmanned aerial vehicles.

02

Analyse the role of unmanned reconnaissance during the Cold War.

03

Explain the emergence of armed drones and their legal implications.

04

Evaluate the proliferation of drones and the entry of new actors.

05

Debate the arguments on autonomy and meaningful human control.

06

Relate the history of drones to current control regimes.

07

Produce a historical and ethical analysis of drone development.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Researcher in aviation history who wishes to specialise in the Ethical History of Drone Development.
  • Arms control analyst who wishes to specialise in the Ethical History of Drone Development.
  • Ethics adviser for autonomous systems who wishes to specialise in the Ethical History of Drone Development.
  • Lecturer in history of technology who wishes to specialise in the Ethical History of Drone Development.
  • Security policy analyst who wishes to specialise in the Ethical History of Drone Development.
  • Journalist specialising in defence who wishes to specialise in the Ethical History of Drone Development.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter academia and research.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Chicago Convention (1944), Article 8 (pilotless aircraft)
  • Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
  • Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW)
  • Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Article 36
  • DoD Directive 3000.09 (autonomy in weapon systems)
  • Arms Trade Treaty (ATT, 2013)
Syllabus

6 modules · 300 h

  1. 1.1Nineteenth-century aerial balloons and torpedoes
  2. 1.2Kettering Bug and Hewitt-Sperry
  3. 1.3Tesla's radio control and his patent
  4. 1.4Aerial targets: Queen Bee and Radioplane
  5. 1.5V-1 and automation in the Second World War
  6. 1.6Operation Aphrodite
  7. 1.7First debates on unmanned weapons
  8. 1.8Technological context of the period
  9. 1.9Historical sources and archives
  10. 1.10Workshop: annotated timeline of the first UAVs
  1. 2.1Ryan Firebee and Lightning Bug in Vietnam
  2. 2.2Reconnaissance without risk to pilots
  3. 2.3Aquiline Programme and surveillance
  4. 2.4Israel and the Scout and Pioneer
  5. 2.5Lebanon War of 1982
  6. 2.6Soviet reconnaissance programmes
  7. 2.7Secrecy and democratic control
  8. 2.8Ethics of reconnaissance over third countries
  9. 2.9Transfer to civilian use
  10. 2.10Case study: the use of decoys in the Bekaa Valley
  1. 3.1Predator and its armament in 2001
  2. 3.2Targeted strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia
  3. 3.3Legal basis: authorisation for the use of force
  4. 3.4Signature strikes and behavioural profiles
  5. 3.5Civilian casualty counts and controversies
  6. 3.6Psychological effects on populations
  7. 3.7Stress and trauma among operators
  8. 3.8Reports of UN Special Rapporteurs
  9. 3.9Leaked documents and transparency
  10. 3.10Case study: analysis of the 2014 Emmerson report
  1. 4.1Spread of armed drones to new countries
  2. 4.2Commercial drones in conflicts
  3. 4.3Nagorno-Karabakh 2020 and loitering munitions
  4. 4.4Ukraine and FPV drones
  5. 4.5Non-state actors and misuse
  6. 4.6Export control and the MTCR
  7. 4.7Joint Declaration of 2016 on armed drones
  8. 4.8Counter-drone defence and its ethics
  9. 4.9Impact on civilians and infrastructure
  10. 4.10Practice: comparison of export policies
  1. 5.1From remote control to autonomy
  2. 5.2Stop Killer Robots campaign
  3. 5.3CCW Group of Governmental Experts
  4. 5.4Directive 3000.09 and its 2023 revision
  5. 5.5ICRC positions on autonomy
  6. 5.6Responsibility and the accountability gap
  7. 5.7Humanitarian and civilian drones
  8. 5.8Ethical lessons from history
  9. 5.9Future scenarios
  10. 5.10Workshop: debate on a preventive ban
  1. 6.1Selection of a period or case
  2. 6.2Bibliographic and source review
  3. 6.3Technical and strategic context
  4. 6.4Analysis of decisions and actors
  5. 6.5Ethical assessment using theoretical frameworks
  6. 6.6Comparison with the present
  7. 6.7Conclusions and lessons
  8. 6.8Preparation of the essay
  9. 6.9Report and presentation
  10. 6.10Final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Zotero, NVivo, Timeline JS, advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Essays are studied through real procedures for analysing historical sources, case studies of drone proliferation and seminars on ethical debate. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.

Accreditable laboratories(EN ISO/IEC 17025) with rotor test rig, EMC/Lightning pre-compliance, HIL/SIL, vibration/acoustics.
Evidence-oriented Master's Thesis:safety case, test plan, compliance dossier and operational limits.
Industry mentoring:lecturers with experience in training, , eVTOL/UAM and flight test.
Flexible format(hybrid/online), international cohorts and support from SEIUM Career Services.
Ethics and safety:a safety-by-design approach, with ciber-OT, DIH and compliance as its pillars.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Selection of a period or case

Describe the origins of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Bibliographic and source review

Analyse the role of unmanned reconnaissance during the Cold War.

Technical and strategic context

Explain the emergence of armed drones and their legal implications.

Analysis of decisions and actors

Evaluate the proliferation of drones and the entry of new actors.

Ethical assessment using theoretical frameworks

Debate the arguments on autonomy and meaningful human control.

Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Researcher in aviation historyArms control analystEthics adviser for autonomous systemsLecturer in history of technologySecurity policy analystJournalist specialising in defence
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior degree is required.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.

Work is carried out with Zotero, NVivo, Timeline JS and advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.

An SEIUM Institute diploma awarded upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.

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