Australian Army Expands First-Person View Drone Training
The Australian Army has expanded its training pipeline as it works to integrate first-person view (FPV) attack drones more broadly across the force.
Personnel from various combat and combat support units were trained to build, modify, and fly attack drones under the “Modify and Operate Attack Drones (FPV)” course.
The program follows the earlier “Employ Multi-Role Drones” course, which focused on using stabilized drones for reconnaissance while preparing platforms to carry payloads and deploy munitions.
Conducted at the Puckapunyal Military Area in Victoria, the training is part of a broader effort to equip soldiers with drone skills they can take back to their units and test during combined-arms exercises.
“The instructors are almost all from 2RAR (2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment), which reflects that they have made some great strides with their drone capability,” said Captain Andrew Dunn-Lobban of the Army’s Land Combat College.
The senior instructor for the course added that instructors recently returned from Operation Kudu, the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to a UK-led training mission for Ukrainian troops, where they were mentored by Ukrainian drone specialists.
The initiative aims to familiarize soldiers with battlefield conditions shaped by widespread drone use while helping the army refine tactics and scale training across the force.
Lessons From Ukraine
Ukraine and Russia have widely adopted FPV drones as low-cost battlefield weapons, using them for reconnaissance, tactical strikes, and one-way attacks.
Kyiv has unveiled a range of FPV systems, including larger drones capable of carrying heavier warheads, and has tested dual-link control systems to maintain connectivity.
The country has also updated its basic military training to place greater emphasis on countering FPV threats.
Other militaries are following suit. The US Marine Corps and British Army have both expanded drone training and force development based on lessons from the war.
