Use of UAVs by the CIA

There are two prominent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs within the United States: that of the military and that of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The military’s UAV program is overt, meaning that the public recognizes which government operates it and, therefore, it only operates where US troops are stationed. The CIA’s program is covert. Missions performed by the CIA’s UAV program do not always occur where US troops are stationed.

The CIA’s UAV program was commissioned as a result of the 11 September terrorist attacks and the increasing emphasis on operations for intelligence gathering in 2004.