Drones com ein a wide variety. Some are controlled globally, others locally.
Drones can be build by more and more "players".
They can be operated by more and more players.
They are being build be internationally produced parts.
Identification of who build the drone and who controlled the drone willl become illusive.
Thus any player can strike at any other player, without being held responsible. Because they cannot be identified. Because the internationality of technological parts used for construction. That handful of chips could have been bought by just everybody. And many of them have "made in China" printed on them.
"Players" can be: nations' services on behalf of policies or private business and corporations, corporations themselves, mercenaries, bad states, groups, rich enough people.
The condottieri already are back, and more and more parts of military servicing gets externalised and privatized. Now they get drones.
Interesting times ahead, I'd say.
On the medal part. Medal for bravery, that is BS. However, drone pilots get marked by the intense contrast of switching between lives in two different realities, from one minute to the next.
Medals help there against the psychological dissonance like they help against battle-induced PTSD:
not at all. . Medals are just the cheapest way for the military to get off the payers list. Colourful glass pearls are not as expensive as healthcare and therapy. Man, already as a small child I hated military decorations and medals. Like male birds fighting for the hens. Leave that fancy stuff to operettas.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...t=drone+stress