This weapon is the one that went out of control over restricted areas in Washington recently. Slate Magazine had an article on drones that mention this event. The Slate article brings up war crimes in connection with UAV's. Of course that is a possibility.
The U.S. government runs two drone programs. The military’s version, which is publicly acknowledged, operates in the recognized war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq, and targets enemies of U.S. troops stationed there. As such, it is an extension of conventional warfare. The C.I.A.’s program is aimed at terror suspects around the world, including in countries where U.S. troops are not based. It was initiated by the Bush Administration and, according to Juan Zarate, a counterterrorism adviser in the Bush White House, Obama has left in place virtually all the key personnel. The program is classified as covert, and the intelligence agency declines to provide any information to the public about where it operates, how it selects targets, who is in charge, or how many people have been killed
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/10/26/091026fa_fact_mayer#ixzz0yTl3iVxg
According to the New Yorker article
Peter Bergen and Katherine Tiedemann, report that the Obama Administration has sanctioned at least forty-one C.I.A. missile strikes in Pakistan since taking office—a rate of approximately one bombing a week. So far this year, various estimates suggest, the C.I.A. attacks have killed between three hundred and twenty-six and five hundred and thirty-eight people. Critics say that many of the victims have been innocent bystanders, including children.
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/10/26/091026fa_fact_mayer#ixzz0yTmhTgjn
The article goes on to discuss how targeting algorithms work and difficulties in their implementation. Israel has considerable experience in this type of action. Part of its targeting procedure includes a lawyer and an expert in arab culture.
It appears that UAV's require a good deal of thought in their targeting and use, and that that thought has not been up to par so far
