The U.S. Army has begun training in the use of Teledyne FLIR microdrones, also known as the Black Hornet 4, for squad-level reconnaissance missions.
According to information from Defence Blog, the training took place from December 9 to 11 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, conducted by infantry personnel assigned to the 1st Battalion, 166th Regiment.
This training is part of the U.S. Army’s ongoing efforts to modernize small-unit reconnaissance and prepare instructors for the future integration of unmanned aircraft systems.
The training focused on familiarizing instructors with the capabilities of the Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) and basic flight operations using the Black Hornet, a reconnaissance microdrone designed for squad-level employment.
Soldier Borne Sensors are a category of small unmanned aircraft systems intended to provide dismounted soldiers with improved situational awareness while reducing exposure to battlefield threats.
“The SBS gives infantry squads the ability to see beyond the line of sight without physically sending a soldier forward. This changes how squads conduct reconnaissance and movement,” said Sergeant First Class Brandon Wahl, course manager for the 166th Regiment’s sUAS operator course.
According to the unit, the event combined classroom instruction with hands-on flight training. “This type of early familiarization allows us to build training the right way from the start,” said Sergeant Luis Andujar, an instructor for the 166th Regiment’s sUAS operator course.
Photos: Shane Smith. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
