FPV drones in the Austrian Armed Forces: the lessons training aims to draw from drone warfare

The war in Ukraine is changing weapons and tactics as well as military training – including in the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer). How a kit for first-person view (FPV) drones, flown with a view from the pilot's own perspective, becomes a weapon system was the subject of a presentation at the Theresian Military Academic Forum (TMAF) in Wiener Neustadt.

Its title was “From Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS)-Components to efficient Weapon System”. Lance Corporal Bastian Wagner (FH Joanneum Graz), Officer Cadet Moritz Böhm and Colonel (General Staff) Markus Reisner explained how commercially available FPV drones turn into militarily relevant capabilities – and why Austria must begin to build up the necessary competences systematically.

The starting point was the insight that large conventional systems alone no longer decide modern conflicts. “The changes go far beyond the introduction of new weapons,” the presentation stated. Ukraine in particular shows how technological innovations reshape operational concepts, call established doctrines into question and redefine the relationship between industry, armed forces and the battlefield.

As an illustration, the speakers referred to the NATO exercise “Hedgehog 25”. There, a small Ukrainian drone team of only ten FPV pilots using improvised systems achieved massive effect within a few hours. “After only half a day, most of the targets had been destroyed,” said Reisner. The Ukrainian operators had deliberately exploited weaknesses in organisation, reconnaissance and protective measures. It was highlighted as particularly critical that in the scenario even rear areas had been barely protected against drones.

Summed up in one sentence, the core message was:

Today there is no longer anywhere to hide.— Presentation at the TMAF

FPV drones have become highly flexible and extremely cost-efficient weapons that can conduct reconnaissance, engage moving and stationary targets and support small units. The speakers named “flexibility, simple configurability and low cost” as the decisive advantages.

The economics were also calculated: an FPV system costs only a fraction of conventional anti-tank weapons, so that even with a low hit rate the attacker obtains an extremely attractive cost-benefit ratio. At the same time, the speakers stressed that figures alone do not fully reflect military effectiveness.

FPV drones as a training priority

Training took up a large part of the presentation. In future, modern armed forces will need not only physically resilient soldiers but also operators and leaders with technological know-how. “Technology today develops faster than classic procurement cycles,” was one statement. Those who master the technical fundamentals adapt more quickly to new threats and to the enemy's improvisations.

This applies to Austria in particular: in an emergency, operational scenarios would probably play out east of the country, along critical infrastructure, mobility corridors and urban areas. There, FPV drones could give small forces considerable additional capabilities, in hybrid as well as conventional scenarios.

The Theresian Military Academy is therefore already working on corresponding training approaches. A step-by-step concept was presented that leads from theoretical understanding through simulator training to the real operation and building of FPV drones. In this way, officers and soldiers are to learn the possibilities and limits of these systems early on.

The experience values presented are remarkable: around two weeks of training are said to be enough for a recruit to acquire operationally ready basic FPV skills. After just a few days on the simulator and exercises with commercially available drones, the first real target approaches are possible.

In-house building also played a central role. In a crisis, Austria must be able to produce additional “force multipliers” quickly. According to the presentation, even personnel without prior knowledge learn within a few days to build several FPV drones a day.

The conclusion was unambiguous: what matters is not mere access to technology but the ability to understand it, adapt it and integrate it into military structures.

Training is becoming the decisive link between commercial technology and military effect.— Presentation at the TMAF