UK and US Soldiers Are Using Video Game Simulators to Learn Drone Warfare

An elite British Army unit is using publicly available drone simulators before soldiers fly real aircraft. The training includes beginner courses through race tracks, mountains, and other virtual environments. The goal is to build hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and a feel for FPV drone handling before live flight.

The 1st Battalion of the UK’s Irish Guards uses a minimum of 30 hours on simulators followed by a minimum of 30 hours of actual flying. The US Army uses a similar approach at its Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, with 20 to 30 hours on simulators before live flight. The practical takeaway is straightforward: train the basics cheaply and repeatedly before putting real drones at risk.

The Irish Guards adopted their 30-and-30 model based on advice from Ukrainian soldiers they helped train through Operation Interflex. The battalion’s drone focus grew from that work, with Ukrainian troops sharing frontline knowledge. The unit has also created a British Army first-of-its-kind drone hub for simulator training, drone repair, and 3D printing drone parts, and it is developing a mobile version for field use.

Simulators can reduce destroyed training drones and save equipment, money, and time. They can teach fundamentals before soldiers handle real aircraft, but they cannot reproduce the danger and psychological pressure of combat. The clearest lesson is that gaming-style technology is becoming a serious entry point for military drone skills, not a substitute for battlefield judgment.