The American military loves drones.
Reports about drone strikes in remote corners of the world are ubiquitous.
U.S. military spending on drones alone has gone up tenfold since 2000 to nearly $3 billion in fiscal 2016. That's despite cutbacks to the Pentagon's budget in recent years.
Drones are seen as safer for military personnel, more accurate and cheaper. Automation more broadly is changing the way the U.S. and other militaries operate.
While drones face regulatory, privacy and human rights obstacles, the U.S. is the clear leader in this space. That's great for major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin (LMT) and Northrop Grumman (NOC).
