"The new fast-paced crash course packs a lot into 15 days, teaching Marines how to fly the drones, handle aerial navigation, and safely prepare and deploy explosive payloads made with C-4. Marines spend several days on a drone simulator before progressing to cheap, expendable, off-the-shelf drones. From there, students move on to more complex systems, including drones built in-house by instructors and the Marine Corps' Neros Archer drone."
""The simulators allow them to develop the core skills that we can then transition to our smaller drone for them to refine," said 1st Lt. Braeden McClain, an infantry officer overseeing the course. So far, the course has certified 75 Marines as attack drone operators and hopes to graduate 500 a year.These aren't formal military occupational specialties like the positions tied to larger drone platforms; instead, the focus is on spreading drone training across the force."
A 15-day crash course trains Marines to fly attack drones, conduct aerial navigation, and safely prepare and deploy explosive payloads using C-4. Trainees spend days on simulators, then progress to inexpensive, expendable off-the-shelf drones and more complex systems, including instructor-built models and the Marine Corps' Neros Archer. The program certified 75 operators so far and aims to graduate 500 per year. Training emphasizes mission execution, safety, and team-based drills such as flying through PVC gates and guiding aircraft to grid coordinates. Marines rotate roles—pilot, team leader, communications support, and payload preparation—to spread drone skills across the force.
Read at Business Insider
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