How "shift cold" works

On 9 September 2015, an unmanned coalition aircraft targeted a checkpoint, controlled by the so-called Islamic State, near Shaddadi in Syria.

According to the US Department of Defense: "After the aircraft's weapon was released, a transient motorcycle approached the checkpoint. The aircrew elected to 'shift cold,' or identify an alternate location for the weapon to impact, in flight to avoid any effects from the impact on the civilians on the motorcycle. The aircrew identified a nearby empty field where the weapon impacted."