Usage of drones in the Ground Forces: establishment of infrastructure for the training of operators and development of their own drones

Development of UAVs began in the Belarusian Armed Forces

In modern conflicts, UAVs play a key role in reconnaissance, fire control and attack. The successful use of drones requires not only the availability of equipment, but also a developed infrastructure to train operators, repair and modernize UAVs. These areas are also developing in the Belarusian Armed Forces.

On January 29, a class to train UAV operators opened at the aviation detachment (unmanned aerial systems) of the 11th Mechanized Brigade.

This is not the first such class opened in military units recently. For example, in December 2024, a training class for FPV drone operators was created in the 310th Artillery Group. In addition, in 2025, training of drone operators will start at all military faculties and departments.

On the same day, it was reported that the 6th Mechanized Brigade has an FPV drone development workshop. There, servicemen are engaged in upgrading and optimizing drones, designing drop systems, etc. It was noted that the workshop is an important center of innovation, which allows the brigade to implement advanced solutions and improve the efficiency of combat missions. It is equipped with a 3D printer and other necessary equipment.

Earlier, an assembly shop for drone production was established on the basis of the 927th Center for Training and Usage of UAVs. The shop is equipped with 3D printers, a program-controlled milling machine, and laptops for programming FPV drones. If necessary, a similar mobile workshop based on a car can be deployed in the field.

The experience of the war in Ukraine has shown that prompt repair and modernization of UAVs is critical for their effective use. This not only makes it possible to speed up the recovery of damaged equipment and introduce innovations, but also, for example, to adapt drones to perform highly specialized tasks. Therefore, workshops for drone repair and maintenance are established by both Ukrainian and Russian military. As can be seen, this experience is also taken into account in the Belarusian Armed Forces.

The next stage in the development of UAVs in the Belarusian Armed Forces should be the creation of specialized units for the use of drones. Defense Minister Viktar Khrenin announced such plans at the end of September last year, but no other details about the formation of new units have been reported yet.