West Point is building drone familiarization into cadet education through classroom study, hands-on flight, repair and construction, and field training. The academy’s stated aim is to help future officers become more comfortable with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and better prepared to understand their military uses. The program description documents a curriculum plan and instructors’ observations—not a measured or independently verified increase in proficiency.
How West Point connects drone lessons with practice
The program brings together the Department of Military Instruction (DMI), which supplies operational context and training objectives, and the Robotics Research Center (RRC), which contributes technical expertise. Its design is intended to connect learning how a drone works with operating, troubleshooting, maintaining and employing it.
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Classroom discussion followed by Drone Day
On September 29–30, 2026, juniors and seniors enrolled in Technology Innovation in Emerging Warfare took part in Drone Day after several weeks of study. Maj. Tyler Bertles, an EECS Cyber Foundations instructor, described the practical session this way: “The cadets get some hands-on experience operating the drones that are built at West Point after we have spent the last few weeks discussing how drones are shaping modern conflict,” the U.S. Army account reported.
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DMI and RRC planned basic piloting opportunities for approximately 1,200 cadets during Cadet Field Training (CFT). The five-day exercise was described as giving each platoon access to a drone for operations. In this setting, cadets can encounter aircraft as part of a field exercise rather than only as a classroom topic.
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Building and repairing a drone in a freshman course
A pilot block in Computing Fundamentals uses a drone called Storm King for construction and repair. The U.S. Army account says 11 individual classes were offered through the pilot program in 2026. The academy’s stated plan is to give every freshman an opportunity each year beginning in 2027; that is a future plan, not confirmation that delivery has occurred.
What the planned progression is meant to teach
The academy describes a possible sequence across academic and military training: assemble or repair a drone in a freshman course, fly one during summer field training, revisit UAS in later coursework, and potentially apply the learning in subsequent tactical training. The account says cadets may encounter drones through four academic and military training experiences before entering the Army.
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This progression matters because operating a drone involves more than piloting. The partnership’s stated approach also emphasizes troubleshooting, maintenance and decisions about how a system is used. Col. Joseph Davis, the RRC leader, said of the freshman course: “Storm King is the drone that we’re going to have every cadet learn how to build and repair in Computing Fundamentals,” according to the U.S. Army.
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How West Point’s approach compares with other cadet training
Cadet drone programs differ in what they teach, where they train and whether a civilian qualification is part of the pathway. Official accounts from Australia and the United Kingdom describe other models, but they do not establish a universal cadet curriculum.
| Program | Learning stages described | Setting or qualification |
|---|---|---|
| West Point, U.S. | Classroom study, piloting, construction and repair, with later academic or field applications planned | Drone Day and CFT are described; the account does not identify a civilian drone qualification |
| Australian Army Cadets Futures Program | Building, programming and piloting five-inch racing drones | Presented as an elective in a safe, systematic training environment; no cohort size is stated in the account |
| Australian Air Force Cadets RPATS | Assembly and flight progressing to programming and advanced flying | The program describes a pathway to a CASA Remote Pilot Licence |
| RAF Air Cadets | Formal civilian drone training and assessment | The organization reports Civil Aviation Authority authorization to deliver and assess recognized RPAS qualifications |
These examples show why “drone training” can mean anything from introductory flight to assembly, programming or a formal qualification route. A military familiarization activity should not be assumed to confer a civil licence, and a civil training pathway is not evidence of preparation for every military role.
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What the program does—and does not—establish
The West Point account supports describing a planned, multi-stage curriculum and the views of the officers involved. It does not provide an independent outcome study, a measured proficiency gain or evidence that familiarization alone prepares a cadet for every operational assignment. The academy’s stated goals of assurance, adaptability and continued learning should therefore be understood as aims and attributed assessments, not demonstrated causal outcomes.
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Other military training offers context for how instruction can expand with operating needs. For example, U.S. Africa Command described 10 days of academics and hands-on familiarization during African Lion 2026, covering subjects such as drone components, meteorology, batteries and mission planning. That exercise is a military training comparison, not a cadet program or evidence about West Point’s results.
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How civilian drone rules relate to cadet training
U.S. civil aviation rules are a separate matter from academy or military operations. The Federal Aviation Administration says a Remote Pilot Certificate is required to fly under the Small UAS Rule, Part 107, and that certificate holders must complete recurrent online training within the previous 24 calendar months to operate under Part 107. Its certificate guidance was updated June 9, 2026. The West Point program account does not say that Part 107 governs its training; readers should not infer that military activity and civilian flight are subject to identical rules.
Training frameworks also vary by task and operating scope. ISO 23665:2026’s abstract covers UAS personnel training procedures, including knowledge, skills, attitudes, qualifications, course content and competence verification. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s FY27 listings include basic remote-pilot and refresher courses, operations overview, and extended or beyond-visual-line-of-sight training. These are general examples of structured training, not descriptions of West Point’s curriculum or evidence that the academy follows ISO 23665.
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