Intricate and Multifaceted Socio-Ethical Dilemmas Facing the Development of Drone Technology: A Qualitative Exploration

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202505.2429.v1
• Publication Date: 2025-06-03T01:21:41Z
• Authors: Hisham Osman Khogali; Samir Mekid

High-impact technology research and its applications, including robotics, automated machines, and intelligent manufacturing, raise urgent concerns regarding ethics, social implications, law, and politics. Combining advanced satellite communications, artificial intelligence, and machine learning drastically enhanced navigation systems, but not without the high cost of impacting socio-ethical dilemmas. Drones are rapidly becoming one of the most significant technologies, and there is a great need for further development. Although technical advancements in drones have been applied in various sectors, more research is being conducted on the social effects of drones, the moral conundrums they raise, and their revolutionary potential. Building on these perspectives, the current research presents the findings of a qualitative study that examined perceptions of the escalating socio-ethical issues surrounding the development of drone applications. According to the obtained results, perceptions of drone applications appear consistent across various levels of expertise. Military objectives (0.73), civil protection (0.61), and passenger transit and medical purposes (0.56) have the most notable associations. Highly Approved Applications indicate that science (8.70), agriculture (8.78), and disaster management (8.87) are all widely accepted applications, most likely due to their obvious social benefits and reduced likelihood of ethical challenges. Regardless of their experience, participants generally hold similar views on the public approval of various drone applications. Since people's attitudes, understanding, and usage will undoubtedly impact future advancements in this technology, the study's findings can inform future research on promoting value-sensitive development in society more broadly, help shape the discussion on drone acceptability in specific contexts, and guide researchers and decision-makers on the use of drones.