For nearly a decade Brett Velicovich was at the centre of Americașs new warfare: using unmanned aerial vehiclesȔdronesȔto take down the worldșs deadliest terrorists across the globe. One of an elite handful in the entire military with the authority to select targets and issue death orders, he worked in concert with the full human and technological network of American intelligence assets analysts, spies, informantsȔand the militaryșs elite operatives, to stalk, capture and eliminate high value targets in al-Qaeda and ISIS. In this remarkable book, co-written with journalist Christopher S. Stewart, Velicovich offers unprecedented perspective on the remarkably complex nature of drone operations and the rigorous and wrenching decisions behind them. In intimate gripping detail, he shares insider, action-packed stories of the most coordinated, advanced and secret missions that neutralized terrorists, preserved the lives of US and international warriors across the globe and saved countless innocents in the hottest conflict zones today. Drone Warrior also chronicles the US militaryșs evolution in the past decade and the technology driving it. Velicovich considers the future it foretells and speaks candidly on the physical and psychological toll it exacts, including the impact on his own life. He reminds us that while these machines can kill, they can also be used productively to improve and preserve life, including protecting endangered species, work he is engaged in today. Joining warfare classics such as American Sniper, Lone Survivor and No Easy Day, Drone Warrior is the definitive account of our nationșs capacity and capability for war in the modern age.

About the Author

Brett Velicovich has over ten years of experience conducting high level counter-terrorism and intelligence operations. He served five combat tours to Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, among others and received numerous combat medals for his service, including the Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge. After leaving service, he earned an MBA from Duke University and helped start an initiative that employs unmanned aerial vehicles in support of wildlife conservation in East Africa, where he now combats the multimillion dollar illicit animal poaching industry. He lives in Virginia. Christopher S. Stewart is an investigative reporter at the Wall Street Journal, where he won the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative reporting with several colleagues in 2015. His work has also appeared in GQ, Harper’s, the New York Times Magazine, New York, Paris Review, Wired and other publications. He also served as deputy editor at the New York Observer and is a former contributing editor at Condé Nast Portfolio. Stewart is the author of Hunting the Tiger and Jungle land. He lives with his family in New York.