Ukraine is reportedly looking to recruit gamers for its specialized drone unit in an effort to bolster the unit’s ranks because “gamers make great drone pilots.” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started nearly three years ago and since then both countries have been engaged in brutal battles that have resulted in loss of life on both sides.
Both countries are now engaged in developing advanced military drones and counter-drone systems. It’s a narrative that sounds like it’s straight out of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. The game partially takes place in a fictional 2025, where military drones play a significant role in the game’s combat. Piloting a real military drone isn’t like playing Call of Duty though.
That’s according to an operator for Ukraine’s new military drone unit ‘Typhoon’ who recently spoke to Business Insider (via Techspot). “People think flying a real military drone is like playing ‘Call of Duty,’ until they realize there’s no restart option,” the operator said. Despite these differences between operating a drone in a video game and operating one in a real-life war scenario, Ukraine’s Typhoon says gamers are candidates for recruitment. Mainly because of their fast reaction time and experience with similar control mechanisms.
Ukraine drone unit seeks to recruit gamers because they’re used to fast-moving situations
It’s not too outlandish to think of gamers are possible candidates for drone operation. Some games require fast reaction times for a number of different in-game events. These skills apparently translate well to piloting military drones. As the fast-moving situations on-screen in games are similar to those of real drone operations. Typhoon’s commander, call sign ‘Michael,’ says “Gamers make great drone pilots because they are used to fast-moving situations on the screen, just like in real drone operations. They already have experience making quick decisions, reacting fast, and controlling complex systems, which are all important skills in combat.”
Ukraine’s Typhoon uses FPV (first-person view) drones that are linked to a set of goggles. The hardware looks like a small VR headset, with the operator using a set of controls that aren’t too unlike those you’d find on a console controller. With joysticks for movement. That being said, the act of using the drone is a lot more complicated than just putting on some goggles and using the joysticks to fly the drone to its location.
Drone warfare has become a lot more complicated
While it might sound simple, there are a lot of moving parts that need to be factored in. Things begin with preparation well before the drone is in the sky. First, the technical setup of the drones needs to be analyzed. Modifications may have to be made to adjust certain things based on the terrain. Ensuring the drone can maneuver within the surroundings.
The operator also has to coordinate with command and the unit has to analyze real-time battle intel. Typhoon says it also has to factor in potential signal jammers that could neutralize the drones. After all that is finished and the drones take flight, there are still several difficulties to overcome. Operators in coordination with command have to ensure that countermeasures are taken into account.
There’s also the very real possibility that the location of drone operators could be discovered. Which could result in the operator being hit as a means of neutralizing the drone. These sorts of challenges aren’t necessarily easy to overcome. But fast reaction time is a necessary trait in doing so. It isn’t too surprising, then, that gamers are being considered for these sorts of operations.
