Thinking about the BBC article, could future self learning autonomy be the solution for the lost up/down link scenario
You might think that....but then...
"With an autonomous system, the consequences of failure are worse in the public's mind. There's something about human error that makes people more comfortable with collateral damage if a person does it," McCants said.
..... and a greater visceral return....
Soon, Drones May Be Able to Make Lethal Decisions on Their Own - NationalJournal.com