- The U.S. Marine Corps has launched a course at Camp Pendleton to train and certify Marines to operate small attack FPV drones for combat missions.
- The program standardizes drone employment and expands unit-level strike capabilities using operator-controlled unmanned systems.
The United States Marine Corps has begun training and certifying small attack drone operators at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, as part of a new course focused on the combat employment of first-person view (FPV) drones.
The course, hosted by 1st Marine Division Schools, trains Marines to operate small attack drones for identifying and destroying targets in combat, while also teaching the technical and procedural skills required to employ the systems in operational environments. During the training, Marines were observed preparing payloads for Neros Archer FPV drones and staging ammunition cans containing batteries and supporting equipment for sustained drone operations.
According to the U.S. Marine Corps, the program is designed to standardize drone employment across units and ensure operators are certified to use the systems in combat. The training includes hands-on instruction in drone assembly, payload integration, flight control, target acquisition, and mission execution, as well as safety and coordination procedures required for battlefield use.
As shown in official imagery from the course, Marines prepared explosive payloads and configured FPV drones under controlled conditions, reflecting a shift toward integrating low-cost, operator-controlled unmanned systems into frontline units. The Neros Archer platform used during the course is a small FPV drone designed for direct operator control, allowing real-time video transmission and precision engagement of targets.
The Marine Corps has increasingly emphasized the role of small unmanned aircraft systems in recent years, particularly after observing their extensive battlefield use in modern conflicts. The service has moved to accelerate training, doctrine, and unit-level integration of drones that can be employed for reconnaissance, strike missions, and rapid target identification.
The course at Camp Pendleton also familiarizes Marines with the logistics of sustaining drone operations, including battery management, spare parts, and rapid reconfiguration of systems in field conditions. Ammunition cans staged during the training contained batteries, tools, and additional equipment, highlighting the need for operators to maintain readiness without reliance on external support.