Modern warfare has already removed a lot of the personal aspect of war. Drone and missile strikes still have ruinous effects on people and cities, but the use of ground troops has lessened over time. This could change, but it wouldn't be humans putting boots to the ground.
That's in Sankaet Pathak's vision for the future, anyway. The CEO and co-founder of start-up Foundation Robotics is currently working on a second model of the Phantom robot, a machine designed not just for civilian use, but as a military tool as well.
Foundation Robotics claims to be the only US firm focused on developing robots for a broad range of military applications. Speaking to the BBC, Panthak explained he believed that "frontline weaponisation" and arming robots could reduce collateral damage, as well as keep human soldiers out of harm's way. Panthak says China is already pursuing this tech, and it's about time the West kept up.
As of right now, the technology simply isn't there to have legions of autonomous soldiers. The functionality of the Phantom's hands need to be improved, it needs a stronger battery, and the capability to stand back up when it falls over. New models will improve on Foundation's formula, but we likely don't have to worry about robot soldiers anytime soon.