Efforts to increase the number of UAV pilots in the army are continuing apace with the latest in a series of competitions.
Around 150 personnel from all three services, plus international allies, converged on Carver Barracks, Wimbish for two days of first-person-view (FPV) drone racing, shown below.
Hosted by 1 (UK) Division, the contest saw 32 different units tackle an inflatable obstacle course against the clock, followed by a more tactically focused serial with a recce feed and a target to strike.
While a Royal Air Force duo triumphed in the first element, a pilot and spotter pairing from the Welsh Guards took top spot in the combat scenario.
Organiser Capt Charlie Jefford (RE) said it was the third such event since September to use sport to rapidly grow the skill set.
“It takes a lot of practice and dexterity to successfully fly an FPV drone – it’s not just like playing an XBox,” he said. “
But drones are killing more than artillery. They are like the snipers of today’s warfare, ubiquitous across the battlefield, and the sooner we have a mass of pilots across combat and combat support arms who can fly them, the better.”
The competition was attended by troops involved in Op Interflex – including Ukrainians, who shared real-life insights into the impact of UAVs on their war with Russia.
The fourth event in the series will take place this month, hosted by 2nd Battalion, The Rifles.
