Pennsylvania National Guard Expands Drone Training And Tactics

The Pennsylvania National Guard is pushing deeper into drone training as unmanned aircraft become essential on today’s battlefields, according to the official U.S. Army website. Inside a small hangar at Fort Indiantown Gap, soldiers fly FPV drones through a homemade obstacle course built from wood and PVC pipes. It looks simple, but every piece has a purpose. The goal is precision, speed, and full control in tight spaces.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nathan Shea helps lead the program. He says unmanned systems will play a bigger role in future fights because they keep troops away from direct danger. The Guard has used drones for more than ten years, mostly for surveillance. But the war in Ukraine has changed the playbook. FPV drones, swarm tactics, and rapid targeting are now common. The Guard wants its operators ready for that reality.

The UAS facility once supported the RQ7 Shadow, a fixed wing drone with a twenty foot wingspan. The Army retired that platform in early 2024. Since then, the site has shifted into a testing hub for new systems. FPV drones are now a key focus. They allow soldiers to train indoors year round and build new tactics without waiting on larger Army programs to deliver a next generation aircraft.

Shea returned this year from Germany where he trained Ukrainian troops. He helped run a fast paced program that turned new recruits into frontline drone operators in only forty five days. The demand was high and mistakes were costly. That experience shaped the design of the obstacle course now used in Pennsylvania.

Funding for expanded drone capability is still coming, but Shea and his team already know what systems fit different missions. What works for cavalry scouts will not work for engineers. Testing multiple drones now will help the Guard make smart choices later.

Soldiers Learn To Fight With And Against Drones

Training at Fort Indiantown Gap goes beyond flying. The 166th Regiment teaches soldiers how drones are being used against friendly forces around the world. Instructors want the next generation of leaders to experience drones in a controlled environment before they see them in combat.

During a recent infantry Advanced Leader Course, an instructor used a small quadcopter to watch soldiers moving through nearby woods. While half of the class practiced ground tactics, the other half learned how drones spot troops, track movements, and collect data. Sgt. 1st Class Mark Thompson says this training gives soldiers a head start. They learn how drones change the battlefield and how they can use them to stay alive.

The regiment also runs a Small Unmanned Aerial System Operator Course. Students learn basic drone operation, mission planning, and safety. Lessons change often because drone tech and enemy tactics evolve fast. Instructors meet regularly to review what is happening in Ukraine, along the border in the United States, and in other conflict zones. They update training as needed so soldiers stay current.

The goal is not to turn every soldier into a drone expert. It is to build a base level of skill so units can integrate drones into daily operations. Soldiers who understand drones can move faster, avoid threats, and collect better information.

AI And Drones Support Field Missions

Drone use across the Pennsylvania Guard has increased sharply in the past year. Units are testing how drones and artificial intelligence can speed up battlefield tasks. In August, infantry and artillery soldiers used drones during Project Shrike, a test led by Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute. The project used AI to detect targets and recommend firing solutions for artillery crews. The system cuts the time needed to request fire support from minutes to seconds. Humans still make the final decision, but the software handles the most complex steps.

In another exercise, instructors used quadcopters to spot targets for artillery students. The drones sent live information to howitzer crews, who then fired on those targets. Drones also recorded where rounds landed so students could adjust aim and review the results.

These tests reflect lessons from Ukraine, where drones guide artillery, track movement, and confirm battle damage. Pennsylvania units are working to match those tactics and stay ahead of new threats.

From obstacle courses to AI aided targeting, the Pennsylvania National Guard is building a modern drone force. Leaders see unmanned systems as essential tools for every mission, whether in classrooms, forests, or live fire ranges. As drones continue to change warfare, the Guard is making sure its soldiers are ready.

DroneXL’s Take

The Pennsylvania National Guard is showing how fast drone warfare is evolving in the United States. Their shift to FPV drones, rapid training, and AI driven targeting mirrors what we see daily from Ukraine. This approach lets soldiers learn real world tactics now instead of waiting for large Pentagon programs to deliver new hardware. Expect many other states to follow this model because the battlefield is changing fast, and the military units that adapt first will have a major advantage.

Photo credit: U.S. Army