Soldiers at Fort Stewart develop safer way to operate drones from inside vehicles
By Lydia Blackstone
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FORT STEWART, Georgia (WJCL) — A simple innovation developed by soldiers at Fort Stewart could help reduce risk on the battlefield by allowing drone operators to remain inside armored vehicles while conducting missions.
Drones have become a critical tool in modern warfare, used for reconnaissance, targeted strikes and delivering supplies. But operating them has often required soldiers to step outside of protected vehicles to maintain signal connection — exposing them to potential danger.
“At times, we had to get out of the vehicle to maintain communication with the drone,” said Spc. Cesar Pula, a drone operator with the 3rd Infantry Division. “That meant being exposed while trying to observe what’s ahead.”
Soldiers with the division identified the issue and worked on a solution designed to keep operators protected without sacrificing capability.
“We came up with a way to put the antennas outside of the Bradley,” said Sgt. 1st Class Scott Kibby, assigned to the 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division.
Using a 3D-printed component created at the Marne Innovation Center, the team mounted drone antennas through a Bradley Fighting Vehicle’s periscope. The modification allows operators to control drones from inside the vehicle while maintaining a strong signal.
The change, while relatively simple, has had an immediate impact.
“Everybody was happy with it,” Kibby said. “The pilot of the drone was actually more excited because he didn’t have to get out as much.”
Pula said operating from inside the vehicle provides a significantly different experience.
“It feels like you’re in your own world,” he said. “You don’t know what’s going on outside, but you’re protected.”
About 30 of the modified systems are currently in use within the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart. While the innovation does not yet have an official name, soldiers say its purpose is clear: keep troops safer while maintaining operational effectiveness.
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