How drones are changing national defense: Weapons and Warfare
This week Weapons and Warfare is all about drones. Host Ryan Robertson talks with some former Air Force leaders and defense and security experts on what U.S. national defense is doing right, and where it needs to improve when it comes to drones in the hands of today’s operators.
Also featured in this episode:
The Department of Defense confirmed the delivery of Replicator Initiative systems to American troops.
Ukraine is using naval drones to combat Russia’s illegal invasion, destroying two Russian patrol boats and damaging two more.
This week’s weapon of the week checks out how an Alabama startup is taking its experience from high-performance drone racing to the modern battlespace.
You can subscribe to the Weapons and Warfare podcast on the platform of your choosing here.
To watch the events used to write this episode, check out the links below:
Smaller drones finding a home in the military: Weapon of the week
To say there is a lot of competition in the drone industry is putting it mildly. Hundreds of drone manufacturers compete for a limited number of military contracts. The latest weapon of the week from Performance Drone Works (PDW) has a few key highlights that make it stand out from the rest of the pack.
At first glance, the C-100 drone looks very similar to a drone on a big box store’s shelves. However, a closer look reveals that the C-100 is a much more versatile piece of technology.
Performance Drone Works calls the C-100 “The Ultimate Force Multiplier.” The drone can gather intel, carry payloads and also deliver munitions with precision with a first-person view (FPV) camera.
“FPV is a whole new style of of munition delivery, where a pilot has very finite control of exactly where that munition can be placed,” Ryan Gury, the CEO and co-founder of PDW, said. “When that can be placed, you can stand off but a great while identify targets, you can hit pieces of armor or exactly where they’re vulnerable. And just last week, we heard from the generals in Ukraine that FPV is now out-surpassing artillery and small arms for anti-personnel and anti-armor.”
Gury and his team designed the C-100 with Drone Racing League technology in mind after the performance capability of those drones caught the eye of the special forces community. The C-100 uses AI assisted software that helps it think around enemy systems. That technology also helps keep soldiers safer on the battlefield.
“Drones that you can use from your body, from your rucksack, drones to be used on a frontline really do extend the frontline, beyond humans and into sensors and robotics and really keep the warfighter at safety,” Gury said.
That mindset helped PDW find its place in the military drone marketplace. Earlier this year, the U.S. Special Operations Force’s Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics Office granted the Alabama-based startup a $6.9 million contract for their black wave radio system. PDW designed the system to keep drones and communications systems resistant to jamming signals from enemy forces.
US Air Force finding future airmen at FPV drone races
Pilots, power your drones. The United States Air Force is going all-in on first-person view (FPV) drone racing. After years of partnering with the Drone Racing League, the Air Force will sponsor a pilot and flight deck for the league’s 2023-2024 season.
Founded in 2015, the Drone Racing League (DRL) touts itself as the world’s premier professional drone racing organization. Pilots compete by maneuvering custom-built quadcopters through the air at 90 miles per hour. The drones stream video to goggles worn by the pilots.
Racing events are held all over the world. Races have been held at stadiums and historic sites in Europe, Asia, the U.S. and Australia. The sport of the future, however, isn’t hindered by the physical limitations of reality.
Professional pilots, and fans of the sport, can hone their skills online using the DRL simulator. And just because the crashes aren’t real doesn’t mean the excitement isn’t. Some simulated races racked up more than 250 million views online.
The long-standing partnership between the league and the Air Force is on full display on courses like “The Boneyard,” where pilots fly drones through a simulated obstacle course full of some of the Air Force’s most iconic craft.
The DRL and the Air Force also partnered together on the creation of a series of videos called FPV 101. The collection contains dozens of videos that teach new FPV hobbyists everything they need to know to get started in the world of drone racing.
FPV drone racing is a sport filled with fans who love tech and tinkering. Two skills the Air Force is looking for as it looks to fill its ranks.
It’s no secret the military is having a hard time recruiting, regardless of branch. The Air Force is on a course to miss its recruiting goal by 10% this year.
But in drone racing, the Air Force found a sympathetic audience. According to the DRL’s internal data, more than 80% of fans favor collaboration with the Air Force. DRL fans are also 30 times more likely to engage with the Air Force on social media.
“The world’s best pilots fly in the U.S. Air Force and race in the Drone Racing League, and that’s the magic of our partnership,” DRL President Rachel Jacobson said in a statement. “We put a spotlight on high performance through tech-driven competition, leveling up our fans with new, multifaceted STEM skills that are transferable across all industries, including entertainment, mobility and security.”
At the same time, the Air Force is becoming more reliant on drones as it looks to future engagements. Pilots who fly the Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter will be in the air with unmanned wingmen. Swarms of drones are also a real possibility in future conflict zones. So, the skill-sets to further develop the technology, and find new ways to use it, are in high demand today.
In an article published by Military Times, Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, said DRL fans make ideal recruits for the USAF, and they’re a core reason why the service continues to partner with the league year after year.