For centuries, warring nations have sought to lower the risk to highly vulnerable humans on the battlefield, typically by providing protective armor, making soldiers' positions more difficult to detect, or by striking from locations safe from retaliation. Autonomous weaponry has now reached the point where robotic systems can perform some key tasks that previously required direct human involvement.

"Military Robots and Drones: A Reference Handbook" introduces the lay person to a highly specialized topic, providing the foundation necessary for further study in this field. Appropriate for...