In the dark bowels of Wellington Barracks in Westminster the British Army pitched its finest soldiers in competition to see who could thrive best in the battlefields of the future.
The 4 Rangers team piloting their drones.
One of the drones passing through the final gate of the drone race course.
One of the teams set up their drones in the race start position.
One of the competition FPV drones.
16 Brigade Commander, Brigadier Mark Berry presents the competition trophy to winners, 2 Royal Yorkshire Regiment.
Every unit in the Army’s Global Response Division, 1 UK Division, was brought together from across the whole of the UK, and challenged to compete in a 10 hour drone racing competition that for the first time was deliberately designed to look like it was set in a modern battlefield in a war torn city.
30 teams of four were issued with state of the art First Person View (FPV) hydrocarbon drones and Point of View (POV) headsets.
They initially had to race against each other through a complex battle zone of ruined buildings and crippled vehicles. Then after making their way through sandbag-lined trenches in pitch darkness, they faced a gruesome scenario in “enemy territory”. There they worked as a team to carry out reconnaissance, and extract as much intelligence as possible before extracting their drone safely from the area.
Drones used in modern warfare have altered the dynamics of military operations, offering unique tactical advantages and enhancing the soldiers’ operational efficiency in various combat scenarios. Drones have been used by armies worldwide for various purposes, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeted strikes. The Army is exploring ways in which they can be used more widely by a much broader range of soldiers.
Testing soldiers in this way prepares them for future operational scenarios but also builds teamwork and raises morale.
The competition was fiercely fought with regiments and corps vying for maximum intelligence points and clear runs. Panoramic viewpoints and CCTV allowed the other teams to watch the progress of their competitors, and loud cheers echoed around when time trials were beaten.
Drone racing in the army has previously always been classed as a hobby sport, but as current conflicts are proving, skilful drone operating capability can be key to operational success.
In Ukraine for example it is estimated that 80% of casualties incurred on the battlefield are now as a result of drone activities.
That is why the British Army deliberately staged this competition in a hyper realistic combat battlefield scenario, allowing the soldiers to be fully immersed and engaged in drone flying as a potential future operational skill, not just as a competitive sport. It added an edge, complexity and excitement not experienced previously by the soldiers.
The winning team from the 2nd Battalion the Royal Yorkshire Regiment was presented with a splendid silver cup by Brigadier Mark Berry, Commander 16 Air Assault Brigade. Coming a close second were 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, with the Grenadier Guards placing third.
The competition afforded the opportunity for more than one hundred soldiers to take part in a fun but challenging inter divisional competition testing their abilities in this future operational warfare technique. It also allowed Commanding Officers to scout the potential drone operating talents in their units for future nurturing.
The impressive event was organised by the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards as their final operational training commitment for the 1st Division prior to resubordinating to HQ London District. After five years on operational duties at home and overseas, the Grenadier Guards are returning to their ceremonial public duties’ role and will mount their first King’s Guard at Buckingham Palace on 27th January.
