FPV drones and training of their operators
At the UAV Specialists Training Center of the Central Military District
As part of the Special Operation, the Russian army is massively using disposable strike FPV-Drones. The wide distribution of such equipment is ensured by the efforts and successes of the domestic industry, as well as the mass training of operators. Currently, there are several training centers in the country responsible for preparing unmanned aerial vehicle calculations. aviation systems, incl. disposable impact equipment. Graduates of these centers regularly join units going to the front.
In preparation
The Russian army has been purchasing and using a variety of UAVs for a long time, and in the last year or two, the fleet of such equipment has been replenished with samples of new classes. Thus, since mid-2022, disposable attack UAVs with a heading camera have been present and actively used in the army. At first, such systems were introduced “on the initiative from below,” but then the Ministry of Defense began to streamline these processes and take additional measures.
Last summer, special courses for FPV drone operators appeared in training centers for preparing calculations for unmanned systems. Similar centers operate in all military districts, and now they provide training for crews for any tactical unmanned systems in service.
The process of training personnel quickly reached a high pace, corresponding to the needs of the troops. Thus, according to the RT news agency and the Ministry of Defense, the Center for Training Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Specialists of the Central Military District, operating in the Sverdlovsk region, alone trained more than 300 FPV drone operators by the end of last year.
Working with materiel
The work of the training centers continues, and they demonstrate new successes. On March 20, the Ministry of Defense again spoke about the results of the work of the Central Military District training center. In the first two and a half months of 2024, it released more than a hundred strike system operators, not counting the crews of other UAVs. We can expect that several hundred more specialists will undergo training by the end of the year.
The training program
A full-fledged training program has been created for UAV operator training centers, covering all aspects of the operation and combat use of FPV drones. It provides for the study of the material part, its components and capabilities, features of combat work, etc., as well as the development of practical skills.
Operators study current types of unmanned systems and the specifics of their operation. In addition, they are trained to work with compatible ammunition and prepare available warheads for use on UAVs. Experts will also learn how to independently make a warhead carrier out of an existing drone.
It is important that theoretical preparation takes up less than half of the training time. The rest of the time, cadets practice piloting drones using computer simulators and real equipment. Practical classes begin with the simplest tasks, after which, as the necessary experience and skills are gained, they move on to flights along routes of varying complexity, incl. equipped with obstacles.
During this phase, operators learn to perform various maneuvers at different speeds, avoid obstacles, and accurately guide the UAV to a selected target. The track contains objects that imitate doorways, windows, trenches and hatches of armored vehicles. Due to this, skills in using drones in conditions typical for the front are developed.
According to the staff, the crew of the FPV system consists of two people. The first number of the crew is directly involved in piloting drones and hitting designated targets. The second one works with UAVs and auxiliary devices, and also helps the operator search for targets and corrects launches.
In practical classes, both calculation numbers work together and jointly solve educational problems. At the same time, interaction experience necessary for future combat work and for maximizing its effectiveness is accumulated.
After completing the training, the crew has all the necessary knowledge and skills to operate the entire range of current domestic FPV drones. Operators can go into a combat zone, be part of various units and use their equipment against enemy targets.
Obvious benefit
According to reports from the Ministry of Defense, the UAV Specialists Training Center from the Central Military District has currently trained more than 400 FPV drone operators. At the same time, similar training for personnel is carried out by other organizations, which is why the total number of trained specialists can be several times higher.
Simulator training
It can be assumed that there are now at least several hundred strike drone crews in the Special Operation zone, and with their help all the main formations and units of the ground forces have been strengthened. Operators constantly use their UAVs and destroy enemy personnel, positions, fortifications and equipment.
Such combat use is possible thanks to the successes of our industry. Both old and well-known enterprises and recently emerged organizations are engaged in assembling several types of FPV drones, producing them in large series and sending them to the troops in large quantities. Such supplies are sufficient for the constant use of products and for creating warehouse stocks.
The scale and results of the use of domestic FPV drones are clearly shown by statistics from the Lost Armor resource. Since June 2022, its authors have found almost 4,8 thousand episodes of the use of such UAVs in open sources. OK. 3,8 thousand episodes (approx. 79,4%) ended in the defeat and/or destruction of the target. A miss was recorded only in 6,5% of cases. The results of the remaining 10,9% of attacks could not be reliably determined.
More than 2,1 thousand drones (44,15%) were used to destroy enemy positions. OK. 630 attacks (13,2%) were carried out by enemy infantry. About 550 UAVs, or 11,5%, were spent on armored vehicles. Also, with the help of drones, artillery systems, vehicles, radio equipment, etc. are massively destroyed.
Practical training
It should be noted that Lost Armor only takes into account photo and video materials available in open sources. Since not all such data is publicly available, the actual number of episodes of FPV drone use should be significantly higher than those recorded. The number of targets hit differs accordingly.
From the point of view of the tasks they solve, FPV drones complement guided weapons of different classes. They replace aircraft missiles and ground-based missile systems, complement artillery, etc. In terms of individual characteristics, such UAVs are inferior to each of these types of weapons, but in general they turn out to be a useful tool for solving a wide range of combat missions. Its effectiveness is confirmed by available statistics.
Systems approach
Thus, the Russian army began to use FPV strike drones quite a long time ago, appreciated them, and is now doing everything necessary for the mass distribution and use of such equipment. Serial production in large quantities has been established, and mass training of operators is also underway.
A systematic approach to the development of a new type of weapon gives the desired results. Operators with unmanned vehicles are sent en masse to the front and are actively working on enemy targets. FPV drones make a significant contribution to the overall losses of Ukrainian formations and clearly demonstrate their capabilities. It is obvious that the measures taken in the field of UAVs have a positive effect on the overall course of events and bring the successful completion of the Special Operation closer.
Information