Hight above the battlefield of Gaza, unarmed US drones like this are using powerful cameras to search for hundreds of hostages held by Hamas. This critical mission is operated thousands of miles away at Creek Air Force Base in the Nevada Desert, the secretive epicenter of U. S. Drone operations. Those drones, known as MQ-9 Reapers, are controlled from inside these cramped, mobile containers. Pilates and their crews, known as the hunters, work in eight hour shifts, twenty four seven, flying Reapers around the world. We can't show you the exact lens on this reaper because it is considered a military secret. But it is one of the most valuable aspects of this airplane because it can collect data from a forest fire or pinpoint a high value target. All of it beamed back live by military satellites right here. For safety concerns, this pilot has asked us not to use her full name. So we.

Have two different cameras that we operate.

Out of. On those monitors, she sees what the drone sees. She uses the joystick to take off and steer the drone.

The aircraft is sending data back here, which is why we're able to see in real time what the aircraft is displaying in terms of altitude and airspeed.

This is the view from four miles above.

Just because we're so high up, even if we were directly over the target, straight up, they would not be able to detect us.

And how long could you be surveilling someone?

Days, weeks, months, sometimes years, depending on the threat and who the target is.

And these drones can be lethal. The US military does not report drone casualties, but the Bureau of investigative journalism estimates from 2002 to 2020, US strikes have killed up to 17,000 people. And there are errors like this strike in 2021 that ripped into a suspected target in Afghanistan, killing 10 civilians, including children, according to The New York Times.

We're watching a lot of these targets. We watched them do horrendous acts against people. We focus more on the mission aspect of it in our why and really just look at the big picture of the impact we are having.

Three years ago, a non-partisan government report found mental and physical health problems for the pilots due to their stressful jobs. The Air Force responded by adding more mental health resources. It's about reminding them that it's okay if you can't focus and to take time to heal and be with your family. And the Air Force added more staffing to shorten flight times. There are now a thousand pilots here who trained on simulators like this.

You really have to rely on the data that the aircraft is giving you.

They walked me through how to fly and arm a drone and launch a Hellfire missile. Oh, there it is. Since the October seventh attack on Israel, drones have been flying over Gaza. Their mission: look for hostages. We spoke with Colonel Nicholas Peterson before that mission was confirmed. If we get tasked for that type of mission, we will be standing by. I think it could play a critical role if we get to that area. A critical role in another mission fought from these small rooms halfway across the world. Dana Griffin, Creek Air Force Base, Nevada. Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the BBC News app or follow us on social media.