Western militaries, police forces and homeland-security agencies are struggling to recruit and retain personnel, so every team member counts. Small drones are now standard in infantry squads and tactical police teams, but joystick-and-tablet controls force operators to put down their weapon and look at a screen. Typically, three teammates are then tasked with protecting the operator, which in a 10-person squad means a 40% loss of fighting strength at the moment of contact. Drawing on combat experience, the talk examines this trade-off and presents an alternative: drone control integrated into the weapon system. The operator never releases the weapon, directs the drone by pointing rather than piloting, and keeps their eyes on the environment. The engineering challenges covered include laser ...