@graydon @cstross

1939-1945 is only an anomaly in the sense that every really big war is unique. WW2 had a massive impact on how wars are fought: it made the tank the king of the battlefield, and air superiority the big trump card.

Drones are absolutely a revolution. After this demonstration of how effective they can be, there's no going back. And their big advantage is that they still work well with other weapon systems: they can scout and guide artillery, but they can also blow up stuff on their own. They're cheap and can be controlled from a safe distance. They can be extremely versatile.

Any military worth its salt will make sure they've got their own drones, and soldiers well trained in their use.