UAV-Mounted Weapons Fire Paint, Rockets & Bullets

Of course, for every inspiring invention there is a darker potential purpose. Some offbeat and off-book uses are relatively harmless, like UAVs mounted with paintball guns, as shown in the video above.

Meanwhile, though, others have hacked and modded miniature flyers to deploy (for now: toy) rockets on request. Really, once there is a working craft, there is little to stop someone from adding additional remote-controlled elements like this, from harmless cameras to harmful weaponry.

Others have mounted rapid-fire machine guns which, while currently used for entertainment, could eventually be put to nefarious purposes.

While personally-piloted miniature vehicles have been around for the long time in the form of model planes and helicopters, increased automation (as with self-driving cars) raises questions of safety and liability that will no doubt be raised as the rise of drones continues into the coming years and decades.