 Israel forces rescuing hostages with cheap American drones. The Israel Defense Forces are increasingly relying on inexpensive American-made drones to conduct hostage rescues and explore tunnels suspected to be used by the militants as the country continues its military bombardment on the Gaza Strip, according to Politico. According to the publication, it's been widely reported that soldiers have used such technology to map and explore tunnels where militants and hostages may be. But now, companies are providing drones that can push further than before, potentially saving Israeli troops' lives. It is noted that one of those companies is SHIELD AI, a defense tech startup created eight years ago by a former Navy SEAL. In May, the company trained Israel on its quadcopters, small inexpensive drones that can perform maneuvers with agility, which allow the military to search potentially dangerous areas without risking lives. When Hamas invaded, we got immediate feedback that our quadcopter was used. It saved lives, and later we learned it was used on hostage rescue missions. Brandon Seng, co-founder and president of SHIELD AI, told Natsek Daily, It's a really, really challenging environment. Retrieving hostages taken by Hamas has been among Israel's main objectives, but the equally difficult part is finding out where they're being hidden. The militant group's elaborate underground tunnel network in Gaza is too dangerous for Israel troops to explore on foot, not to mention the buildings where militants could be lurking. That's where the drones come in. It's like a self-driving car, but inside a compound, Seng said.