America's drone war is picking up speed and intensity. Since President Obama took office, there have been nearly 300 reported drone strikes in Pakistan, five times more than under President Bush – and Obama is taking personal responsibility for the kill list in weekly meetings.

The US military insists the strikes are an efficient way of dealing with militants; but that justification ignores the diplomatic and legal difficulties – and, most importantly, the number of civilians killed. Slate and the New America Foundation have created an interactive map which displays the location and kill count of reported drone strikes since 2004. The light blue circles represent civilian deaths – and the size of the circle represents the number of dead:

If that weren't bad enough, plans are afoot for nuclear-powered drones, able to stay aloft, targeting and killing, for months without refuelling.

Learn more: Drone Wars UK has a vast archive of reports on the development and use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Take action: Support Reprieve's legal petition for justice for the victims of drone strikes and for the relatives of those killed.