Unmanned Vehicles: New Challenges to Public Security

Abstract

The paper gives a general description of unmanned ground, aerial, surface, underwater, space vehicles developed inRussiaand abroad to be used for military purposes and national economy. In general, the paper highlights principles of their functioning and the degree of their autonomy. Special attention is paid to the danger they create to a person, property, etc., in traffic accidents and when moral and legal problems are involved (in compliance with the concepts of a “trolley case” and necessity that are often applied in common practice, e.g. concerning road transport). The authors suggest a road map according to which, first, gaps in the legislation (i.g. in civil and administrative law) should be eliminated; second, the rules of traffic safety and operation of unmanned vehicles should be determined, and, third, a criminal law on liability for damage caused by the drone should be elaborated. Main approaches to the definition of this criminal law prohibition are indicated and the most important algorithms of criminalization of the act in question are highlighted.