The British Army is turning to Ukraine for insights on training soldiers in drone operations.
Ukrainian forces, who have used drones extensively in their war against Russia, shared tips on training that work in real combat situations. A British officer has revealed the minimum hours of training required to become competent drone pilots.
Lt. Col. Ben Irwin-Clark, the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards, said a drone pilot needs about 60 hours of training, including 30 hours on a simulator and 30 hours of actual flying in the field. "At about 60 hours, they are pretty competent at being able to fly different types of drones," he said.
Simulator training allows soldiers to master the controls, navigation, and emergency procedures safely, while field flying gives them real-world experience, like handling wind, terrain, and actual missions that they will face on the battlefield.
Clark added that skills improve with more practice and exposure to different drones. "It's an upward curve in terms of how good they can get. It takes practice," he explained.
The 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards, an elite British Army unit, was deployed as part of Operation Interflex, a UK-led initiative involving 13 countries to train Ukrainian troops in Western and NATO-style military tactics. During the program, the Ukrainian troops also shared their front-line experience with their international partners.
The US Army is following Ukraine's lead, using simulators first so soldiers can practice safely before flying real drones.
Maj. Wolf Amacker, chief of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Tactics Branch at the Army's Aviation Centre of Excellence, explained that the US Army's Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, also relies on simulated flight training before soldiers operate live drones.
Based on Ukrainian advice, the battalion has also set up anti-drone nets and 3D orienting for drone parts.
Of the 300 soldiers in the battalion, 78 are now trained as drone pilots or instructors. Irwin-Clark said this was the first drone hub in the British Army, and no other unit currently has one.
