The sad thing is drones probably could be used in a way which helps individual rights vs. the government.
In an arrest scenario (even for the most trivial of crimes), if someone resists an individual officer, it can easily turn into a justifiable self-defense shooting by the officer. If you struggle, grab for the officer's weapon, or if he even thinks that is happening, training and prudence is that he should end the threat as quickly as possible.
OTOH, if someone resists a robot, I'm fine with the robot being destroyed; just send two more to effect the arrest. Only in a situation where someone would be escaping and immediately harming other human life would it be justifiable for the drone to use lethal force.
I have zero faith that our government would restrict its use of drones in that way, though.
In an arrest scenario (even for the most trivial of crimes), if someone resists an individual officer, it can easily turn into a justifiable self-defense shooting by the officer. If you struggle, grab for the officer's weapon, or if he even thinks that is happening, training and prudence is that he should end the threat as quickly as possible.
OTOH, if someone resists a robot, I'm fine with the robot being destroyed; just send two more to effect the arrest. Only in a situation where someone would be escaping and immediately harming other human life would it be justifiable for the drone to use lethal force.
I have zero faith that our government would restrict its use of drones in that way, though.