British soldiers are learning how to control attacking drones from a first—person perspective - like in esports, only with explosives

Friday, 5 September 2025

British soldiers are learning how to control attacking drones from a first—person perspective - like in esports, only with explosives

Exercises at the Bramley training ground: SOLDIERS' ASSEMBLY OF EQUIPMENT

FPV Drone course at the Bramley Training Ground

In July, a three-week intensive training on a new type of combat drones was held at the Bramley training ground in Hampshire. For the first time, soldiers of the British army began to massively master FPV drones - the ones that fly with a first—person view, as in races for cyber pilots. Only here it's not a sport, but combat training. The goal is to learn how to use small, fast, and deadly drones to target enemy positions.

The course took place from July 7 to July 25 and became part of a large-scale re-equipment of the army to meet the realities of modern warfare.

One—sided attack - the drone crashes into the target and explodes

The tactic is called OWA — One-Way Attack. A drone with a small explosive charge is launched, the pilot sees everything through the camera in real time and directs it directly at the target — be it a bunker, equipment or a cluster of fighters. After being hit, there is an explosion. The drone is destroyed, but the task is completed.

This is a cheap, accurate and flexible way to hit targets, especially in urban environments or when storming fortified positions.

Not just racing — simulations, radio interference and exploration

The training was tough: lectures, hours on simulators, and then field exercises. The soldiers learned not only how to fly, but also how to operate in electronic warfare: when the enemy jammed the signal, they lost control and the drone became a target.

The key point is integration with intelligence. For example, first they launch a regular drone for reconnaissance, find a target, and then the FPV pilot goes on the attack. This is not chaos, but well-coordinated work.

The army's first platoon of drones from parachutists

The program was led by a special platoon of unmanned aerial vehicles from the 2nd battalion of the Parachute Regiment. This is the first unit of its kind in the British army, created specifically for new challenges. Parachutists are the elite, and the fact that they are the ones who take on the development of drone tactics speaks to the seriousness of the approach.

Now they're not just skydiving—they're controlling death from a remote control.

Sources

Friday, 5 September 2025