Slaughterbots was meant to be a video against such technology, but I'm 100% sure there are plenty of companies who are pointing at it and saying "This. Exactly this. This is what we want."

You're not wrong, but at least some SAR (search and rescue) efforts are already leading to better response times in bad weather and thus saved lives.

Example from REGA, a swiss SAR provider. https://www.rega.ch/en/our-missions/cutting-edge-technology/...

Not obvious if tiny drones pack enough heat to be relevant in an urban battlefield scenario or if they are actually useful compared to conventional approaches.

I can't prove you wrong I'm afraid, because the only difference between the two is a weapon. But this is the two-sided sword in a lot of technological advancements; advances in medical science can be used to create bioweapons for example; advances in nuclear physics allowed both the nuclear fission and fusion generator, but also the nuke, and spaceflight evolved from long distance missiles and alongside ICBMs, the push was for both scientific and military progress simultaneously.

There is nothing wrong with using killing robots to defend your country. Once you are attacked and your family is in danger of rape and murder you will ask the gov to use any means available. Would you prefer them to use artisanal swords? Its the new dawn, the danger is real, there is no place for conspiracies ( that's probably when skynet will be created, oh well everyone wants to survive now not later in ideal future)

Watching the current war, I think those drones are not that useful: slow, short-range, suspectible to bad weather and visibility, and carrying too small warhead.

So it's like using a laptop to hammer a nail. There are way more deadliest, simplest and reliable solutions, unfortunately.

You could also read it as: "Our search and rescue drones can help you find a child who is lost in the woods".

I agree, but there is always a cynical angle to everything.

These are basically Manhacks from Half Life 2