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Lethal autonomous weapons (LAWs) are a type of autonomous military robot that can independently search and and engage targets based on programmed constraints and descriptions.

Being autonomous as a weapon
Being "autonomous" have different meanings in different fields of study. In engineering it may refer to the machine's ability to produce without the operation of workers. In philosophy it may refer to an individual being morally independent. In political science it may refer to an area's capability of self-governing. In terms of military weapon development, the identification of a weapon as autonomous is not as clear as other area. The specific standard entailed in the concept of being autonomous can vary hugely between different scholars, nations and organizations.

Scholars like Peter Asaro and Mark Gubrud are trying to set the threshold lower and judge more weapon system as autonomous. They believe that any weapon system that is capable of releasing a lethal force without the operation, decision or confirmation of a human supervisor can be deemed as autonomous. According to Gubrud, A weapon system operating without human intervention is considered autonomous.

Other organizations, however, are setting the standard of autonomous weapon system in a higher position. The Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) defines autonomous weapon systems as "systems that are capable of understanding higher level intent and direction. From this understanding and its perception of its environment, such a system is able to take appropriate action to bring about a desired state. It is capable of deciding a course of action, from a number of alternatives, without depending on human oversight and control, although these may still be present. Although the overall activity of an autonomous unmanned aircraft will be predictable, individual actions may not be."

As a result, the composition of treaty between states requires a commonly accepted labeling of what exactly constitutes an autonomous weapon.