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Drone Warfare May Raise New Mental Health Concerns
At the 24th edition of the L’Encéphale Congress, a psychiatry conference held in Paris, France, speakers discussed how the growing use of drones has become a defining feature of modern warfare and how these technologies may affect the mental health of both combatants and civilian populations. The topic was addressed during a session on war psychiatry.
The growing integration of drones into military operations is transforming the conduct of modern warfare and raising new concerns about the mental health effects on soldiers and civilian populations.
“In the age of drones, a new era of warfare has begun,” said Marie Dominique Colas, MD, a psychiatrist, and general practitioner at Military Teaching Hospital Sainte Anne in Toulon, France, speaking during a session on war.
The conflict following the Russian invasion of Ukraine illustrates this change. Drones are now widely used across multiple tactical levels for reconnaissance, surveillance, and attacks. According to Colas, this is the first high-intensity conflict in which these systems have been deployed on a large scale, primarily to destroy targets and cause casualties, rather than to eliminate specific identified individuals, which had been more typical in earlier operations in the Sahel or Afghanistan.
Combat Experience
The characteristics of drones, particularly their observation capabilities and ease of operation, have been gamechangers on the battlefield.
“The widespread use of drones has changed the subjective experience of combat,” said Emeric Saguin, MD, a psychiatrist in the Department of Psychiatry at the Begin Military Teaching Hospital, Saint-Mandé, France.
These miniaturized, stealthy, and often undetectable weapons have made battlefields increasingly transparent. “In Ukraine, enemy observation is almost constant for several kilometers behind the front line, creating a persistent sense of vulnerability and limiting medical care to basic first aid provided by fellow soldiers,” said Saguin.
The nature of these attacks has changed. “Gunshot wounds have become almost anecdotal. In Ukraine, more than 90% of attacks are caused by artillery and drones,” he added. Therefore, mental health specialists are increasingly examining how the constant threat posed by these weapons may affect psychological functioning, both individually and within groups.
Psychological Effects
Beyond their destructive capacity, drones are estimated to account for approximately 50% of casualties, and they can affect the morale of both opposing forces and civilian populations. Therefore, these precision weapons act as powerful tools for psychological attrition.
Clinically, “what predominates is not so much the traumatic impact of an isolated event as the repetition of exposures and the lack of recovery, leading to cumulative fatigue,” Saguin said. In his view, the clinical patterns observed are “less the result of a single shock than of a process of cumulative erosion.”
A key question raised by specialists is whether the widespread use of drones could lead to new clinical forms of war-related psychological disorders among drone operators.
Although drone operators remain physically distant from combat zones, they are not immune to the psychological effects of warfare. “Nearly half of drone operators show signs of psychological distress, primarily anxiety, which can affect both professional functioning and family life,” said Cécile Gorin, a senior psychiatrist at the Hôpital d’Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne in Toulon, France. Greater vulnerability to emotional disengagement, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and burnout among drone operators has been linked to specific working conditions, including prolonged periods of intense vigilance, repeated exposure to detailed combat footage, and direct involvement in lethal decision-making.
“Exposure to images of destruction, particularly when civilians are affected by bombings, is a major risk factor for developing PTSD among these operators,” Gorin stated. A study analyzing drone operators found that 45.7% presented at least one psychological symptom, such as alcohol consumption, sleep disturbances, or anxiety. PTSD was identified with 2.9% of participants. However, according to the available literature, the prevalence of PTSD among drone operators may range from 5% to 10%, lower than among combatants deployed on the ground, where rates can reach up to 35%, Gorin noted.
The repeated and large-scale use of drones, including swarms and single-use devices, affects both civilians and combatants. This persistent threat can disrupt daily life and economic activity while creating a climate of constant uncertainty.
“The permanent, diffuse, and inescapable threat alters temporal and spatial reference points and fosters isolation,” Gorin explained. Prolonged exposure to such conditions can contribute to collective trauma, characterized by generalized anxiety, depressive episodes, erosion of social ties, and declining trust in institutions responsible for maintaining security.
Civilian populations living under continuous drone surveillance may also change their behavior patterns. Studies conducted among Afghan populations during wartime have described a phenomenon of self-objectification linked to constant surveillance and unpredictable strikes. In the context of chronic psychological insecurity, civilians gradually modified their behavior, particularly in social settings, avoiding gatherings, and adjusting daily activities to reduce the risk of being perceived as a threat.
Although the available data remain limited, similar patterns have emerged in Ukraine. A recent study on parents of Ukrainian children exposed to war conditions reported increased anxiety in 35% of respondents and sadness in 25%, along with behavioral problems and attention difficulties in approximately 25% of children.
This story was translated from Medscape’s French edition.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
At the 24th edition of the L’Encéphale Congress, a psychiatry conference held in Paris, France, speakers discussed how the growing use of drones has become a defining feature of modern warfare and how these technologies may affect the mental health of both combatants and civilian populations. The topic was addressed during a session on war psychiatry.
The growing integration of drones into military operations is transforming the conduct of modern warfare and raising new concerns about the mental health effects on soldiers and civilian populations.
“In the age of drones, a new era of warfare has begun,” said Marie Dominique Colas, MD, a psychiatrist, and general practitioner at Military Teaching Hospital Sainte Anne in Toulon, France, speaking during a session on war.
The conflict following the Russian invasion of Ukraine illustrates this change. Drones are now widely used across multiple tactical levels for reconnaissance, surveillance, and attacks. According to Colas, this is the first high-intensity conflict in which these systems have been deployed on a large scale, primarily to destroy targets and cause casualties, rather than to eliminate specific identified individuals, which had been more typical in earlier operations in the Sahel or Afghanistan.
Combat Experience
The characteristics of drones, particularly their observation capabilities and ease of operation, have been gamechangers on the battlefield.
“The widespread use of drones has changed the subjective experience of combat,” said Emeric Saguin, MD, a psychiatrist in the Department of Psychiatry at the Begin Military Teaching Hospital, Saint-Mandé, France.
These miniaturized, stealthy, and often undetectable weapons have made battlefields increasingly transparent. “In Ukraine, enemy observation is almost constant for several kilometers behind the front line, creating a persistent sense of vulnerability and limiting medical care to basic first aid provided by fellow soldiers,” said Saguin.
The nature of these attacks has changed. “Gunshot wounds have become almost anecdotal. In Ukraine, more than 90% of attacks are caused by artillery and drones,” he added. Therefore, mental health specialists are increasingly examining how the constant threat posed by these weapons may affect psychological functioning, both individually and within groups.
Psychological Effects
Beyond their destructive capacity, drones are estimated to account for approximately 50% of casualties, and they can affect the morale of both opposing forces and civilian populations. Therefore, these precision weapons act as powerful tools for psychological attrition.
Clinically, “what predominates is not so much the traumatic impact of an isolated event as the repetition of exposures and the lack of recovery, leading to cumulative fatigue,” Saguin said. In his view, the clinical patterns observed are “less the result of a single shock than of a process of cumulative erosion.”
A key question raised by specialists is whether the widespread use of drones could lead to new clinical forms of war-related psychological disorders among drone operators.
Although drone operators remain physically distant from combat zones, they are not immune to the psychological effects of warfare. “Nearly half of drone operators show signs of psychological distress, primarily anxiety, which can affect both professional functioning and family life,” said Cécile Gorin, a senior psychiatrist at the Hôpital d’Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne in Toulon, France. Greater vulnerability to emotional disengagement, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and burnout among drone operators has been linked to specific working conditions, including prolonged periods of intense vigilance, repeated exposure to detailed combat footage, and direct involvement in lethal decision-making.
“Exposure to images of destruction, particularly when civilians are affected by bombings, is a major risk factor for developing PTSD among these operators,” Gorin stated. A study analyzing drone operators found that 45.7% presented at least one psychological symptom, such as alcohol consumption, sleep disturbances, or anxiety. PTSD was identified with 2.9% of participants. However, according to the available literature, the prevalence of PTSD among drone operators may range from 5% to 10%, lower than among combatants deployed on the ground, where rates can reach up to 35%, Gorin noted.
The repeated and large-scale use of drones, including swarms and single-use devices, affects both civilians and combatants. This persistent threat can disrupt daily life and economic activity while creating a climate of constant uncertainty.
“The permanent, diffuse, and inescapable threat alters temporal and spatial reference points and fosters isolation,” Gorin explained. Prolonged exposure to such conditions can contribute to collective trauma, characterized by generalized anxiety, depressive episodes, erosion of social ties, and declining trust in institutions responsible for maintaining security.
Civilian populations living under continuous drone surveillance may also change their behavior patterns. Studies conducted among Afghan populations during wartime have described a phenomenon of self-objectification linked to constant surveillance and unpredictable strikes. In the context of chronic psychological insecurity, civilians gradually modified their behavior, particularly in social settings, avoiding gatherings, and adjusting daily activities to reduce the risk of being perceived as a threat.
Although the available data remain limited, similar patterns have emerged in Ukraine. A recent study on parents of Ukrainian children exposed to war conditions reported increased anxiety in 35% of respondents and sadness in 25%, along with behavioral problems and attention difficulties in approximately 25% of children.
This story was translated from Medscape’s French edition.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
At the 24th edition of the L’Encéphale Congress, a psychiatry conference held in Paris, France, speakers discussed how the growing use of drones has become a defining feature of modern warfare and how these technologies may affect the mental health of both combatants and civilian populations. The topic was addressed during a session on war psychiatry.
The growing integration of drones into military operations is transforming the conduct of modern warfare and raising new concerns about the mental health effects on soldiers and civilian populations.
“In the age of drones, a new era of warfare has begun,” said Marie Dominique Colas, MD, a psychiatrist, and general practitioner at Military Teaching Hospital Sainte Anne in Toulon, France, speaking during a session on war.
The conflict following the Russian invasion of Ukraine illustrates this change. Drones are now widely used across multiple tactical levels for reconnaissance, surveillance, and attacks. According to Colas, this is the first high-intensity conflict in which these systems have been deployed on a large scale, primarily to destroy targets and cause casualties, rather than to eliminate specific identified individuals, which had been more typical in earlier operations in the Sahel or Afghanistan.
Combat Experience
The characteristics of drones, particularly their observation capabilities and ease of operation, have been gamechangers on the battlefield.
“The widespread use of drones has changed the subjective experience of combat,” said Emeric Saguin, MD, a psychiatrist in the Department of Psychiatry at the Begin Military Teaching Hospital, Saint-Mandé, France.
These miniaturized, stealthy, and often undetectable weapons have made battlefields increasingly transparent. “In Ukraine, enemy observation is almost constant for several kilometers behind the front line, creating a persistent sense of vulnerability and limiting medical care to basic first aid provided by fellow soldiers,” said Saguin.
The nature of these attacks has changed. “Gunshot wounds have become almost anecdotal. In Ukraine, more than 90% of attacks are caused by artillery and drones,” he added. Therefore, mental health specialists are increasingly examining how the constant threat posed by these weapons may affect psychological functioning, both individually and within groups.
Psychological Effects
Beyond their destructive capacity, drones are estimated to account for approximately 50% of casualties, and they can affect the morale of both opposing forces and civilian populations. Therefore, these precision weapons act as powerful tools for psychological attrition.
Clinically, “what predominates is not so much the traumatic impact of an isolated event as the repetition of exposures and the lack of recovery, leading to cumulative fatigue,” Saguin said. In his view, the clinical patterns observed are “less the result of a single shock than of a process of cumulative erosion.”
A key question raised by specialists is whether the widespread use of drones could lead to new clinical forms of war-related psychological disorders among drone operators.
Although drone operators remain physically distant from combat zones, they are not immune to the psychological effects of warfare. “Nearly half of drone operators show signs of psychological distress, primarily anxiety, which can affect both professional functioning and family life,” said Cécile Gorin, a senior psychiatrist at the Hôpital d’Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne in Toulon, France. Greater vulnerability to emotional disengagement, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and burnout among drone operators has been linked to specific working conditions, including prolonged periods of intense vigilance, repeated exposure to detailed combat footage, and direct involvement in lethal decision-making.
“Exposure to images of destruction, particularly when civilians are affected by bombings, is a major risk factor for developing PTSD among these operators,” Gorin stated. A study analyzing drone operators found that 45.7% presented at least one psychological symptom, such as alcohol consumption, sleep disturbances, or anxiety. PTSD was identified with 2.9% of participants. However, according to the available literature, the prevalence of PTSD among drone operators may range from 5% to 10%, lower than among combatants deployed on the ground, where rates can reach up to 35%, Gorin noted.
The repeated and large-scale use of drones, including swarms and single-use devices, affects both civilians and combatants. This persistent threat can disrupt daily life and economic activity while creating a climate of constant uncertainty.
“The permanent, diffuse, and inescapable threat alters temporal and spatial reference points and fosters isolation,” Gorin explained. Prolonged exposure to such conditions can contribute to collective trauma, characterized by generalized anxiety, depressive episodes, erosion of social ties, and declining trust in institutions responsible for maintaining security.
Civilian populations living under continuous drone surveillance may also change their behavior patterns. Studies conducted among Afghan populations during wartime have described a phenomenon of self-objectification linked to constant surveillance and unpredictable strikes. In the context of chronic psychological insecurity, civilians gradually modified their behavior, particularly in social settings, avoiding gatherings, and adjusting daily activities to reduce the risk of being perceived as a threat.
Although the available data remain limited, similar patterns have emerged in Ukraine. A recent study on parents of Ukrainian children exposed to war conditions reported increased anxiety in 35% of respondents and sadness in 25%, along with behavioral problems and attention difficulties in approximately 25% of children.
This story was translated from Medscape’s French edition.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
Drone Warfare May Raise New Mental Health Concerns
Drone Warfare May Raise New Mental Health Concerns