Royal Marines train with unmanned drone support

Maritime April 24, 2019

Royal Marines have completed a training exercise with unmanned drones providing support for the first time.

The training exercised used unmanned drone support to assess potential threats during tactical action. Alpha Company of 40 Commando took part in Exercise Commando Warrior alongside 1 Assault Group Royal Marines (1AGRM) at Tregantle Beach, in Cornwall.

During the exercise, unmanned drones fitted with cameras and sensors were used to look for enemy forces alongside a smaller unmanned air system looking for danger in the skies and unmanned ground vehicles ready to provide fire support and overwatch if required. The exercise aimed to explore how technology can be coordinated to provide tactical information to aid decisions.

Corporal Ashley Hill said: “Trialling this new kit, and new formations, is about pushing us away from just being an infantry force that gets off the boats and moving us back towards our Commando roots.”

“There is a space to be filled in defence and we are trying to fill it thanks to this new technology.”

The technology, developed by QinetiQ, allows live footage to be fed to tablets which can be analysed on the field by commanders. The information was also sent to a command and control facility at the 3 Commando Brigade Headquarters.

The equipment used in the exercise was funded by Navy Tech Bets after a bid was approved by Navy Board for the 2018/19 financial year. The exercise assessed how the equipment performed in a live situation and how easily the information can be assessed at different command posts.

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Commando Royal Marines QinetiQ Royal Marines Training Training exercise unmanned Unmanned Ground Vehicles