Ukraine’s Drone Pilots’ Academy – Giving Skills Where They’re Needed

FPV and “Baba Yaga” heavy bomber drones have had a major impact on the way the war in Ukraine is fought and has fast become a weapon of choice. From the earliest appearance of drones following the February 2022 full-scale invasion, the demand for pilots has grown and that need is about to become even more intense.

Five countries have signed up to a Drone Coalition on the sidelines of the NATO Heads of State summit in Washington on Wednesday, July 10. Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and the UK have pledged more than €45 million ($49 million) into a Common Fund to provide one million UAV for Ukraine and have committed to seek additional contributions.

In addition, Latvia will provide a drone testing and training range, the UK has issued a call to industry to develop and procure FPV drones, which to date has received 265 expressions of interest with contracts expected to be issued in August. The coalition members are also investigating the provision of reconnaissance, strike and AI-equipped drones along with counter-drone equipment and capability.

The more drones Ukraine’s armed forces get, however, the more pilots it needs with the necessary skills to fly them successfully against Russian forces on a frenzied, messy battlefield – and that’s where the “drone academy” comes in. The videos posted on social media makes attacks on tanks, armored vehicles, troops, trenches and dugouts look easy – they aren’t, but practice makes (almost) perfect.

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The military issues website War Zone reported on a visit to the training establishment and witnessed new volunteer pilots being put through their paces. The site includes an obstacle course made up of tunnels, hoops, barriers and moving caged vehicles that teach them how to fly over, around, and through objects, overcoming jamming and electronic warfare attack, and how to track, chase and hit moving targets.

The training combines some technical theory but primarily focuses on practical training, which is not just flying the drones but also learning how to prepare, fit munitions, repair and maintain the UAVs and even how to uses 3D printers to fabricate spares.

Volunteers come from all walks of life not just the military, emergency service or police. Many civilian recruits come from a gaming or commercial drone flying background. Whatever the background they all have the same motivation to learn how to fight and defeat the enemy.

“We have a constant need to train our pilots and operators. The world of unmanned systems is constantly changing, and the enemy comes up with certain methods or can prevent us from completing our tasks,” said one of the trainers, known by the callsign Teenager. “We have the opportunity to constantly train and improve our skills.”

“Our training is done in several stages,” said another soldier, callsign Glory. “It starts with a base of basic summer practices, then the second stage is more complex practices, and then there are application tactics, where our pilots learn to counter the enemy, an imitation of what is on the battlefield.”

Teenager says, “There are training grounds for practicing motor skills, there are targets that can always be hit, there are…tools so that pilots can prepare and learn to work not just in hothouse conditions, but in conditions as close as possible to combat.”