Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2016 | Page 76

Global Security and Intelligence Studies
Figure 1: Damage Inflicted by 1.0-kg of TNT (R.E. Factor of 1)
Source: “Potential Damage from a 1 kg TNT Explosion” 2013.
time and price are less important factors. In regards to the explosives transported by a
drone, terrorists may use a variety of methods to achieve their objective, such as affixing
a cluster of grenades, including small metal objects to produce shrapnel or using a
homogenous substance. The relative effectiveness (RE) Factor of a material, measuring
that substance’s explosive properties compared to TNT (RE Factor of 1.0), is a useful
factor to determine the potential effects of an explosive-laden consumer drone. Some
models currently on the market can carry up to a 1.0 kg payload, which can inflict the
damage described in Figure 1 if the substance’s RE Factor is equal to or greater than 1.0.
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