The soldiers practiced with the Bumblebee V1 drone system, designed to intercept enemy drones. They also trained with the newer Bumblebee V2. This training is funded by a $5.2 million agreement between the Pentagon's Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) and Perennial Autonomy, the company that makes the Bumblebee V2.
The Bumblebee V2 is a first-person-view multi-rotor drone that meets (National Defense Authorization Act) NDAA standards. It is designed to provide a low-cost way to counter small unmanned aircraft systems while minimizing collateral damage.
Sgt. Maj. Kellen Rowley, senior enlisted advisor to the director of JIATF-401, said, "We are trying to find low-cost charitable solutions that can knock anything out."
Rowley said the training is designed for soldiers with little to no drone piloting experience.
"These are soldiers without a lot of prior US pilot experience. Most agnostic. And they come out here, they learn this in real time. They pick up the skills necessary to do drone on drone combat and in real time develop TTPs language and strategies to take out drones and counter fight."
Battlefield applications
The Bumblebee system is already being used in conflict zones such as Ukraine. There, drones help track suspicious activity, chase, and intercept enemy aircraft at a much lower cost than traditional missile systems. At Fort Bragg, teams used two drones to take down a single target, practicing the tactics, techniques, and procedures needed for combat.
Rowley said they emphasized the importance of adaptable solutions.
"If that pilot has gone through enough sets reps and has that confidence, they can simultaneously operate the camera, the C2, and the drone itself," he said.
Advanced technology backed by Pentagon funding
In January, the Pentagon invested $5.2 million to fund further development of the Bumblebee V2 prototype, which features advanced technology and improved adaptability.
Lt. Col. Alex Morse, acquisition lead for JIATF-401, demonstrated the drone's upgraded capabilities.
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"This one, you can see it can actually move fully up and down like that. And it has additional camera sensors, wide-angle and narrow view, which allow it to then be a much more adaptable and maneuverable in the air to pick out those targets as they're moving through the air," Morse said.
Each drone can operate for up to an hour on a single battery pack.
Looking ahead
Deliveries of the new system started in March.
Military officials hope drones such as the Bumblebee will soon become as essential to training as learning to use a rifle or read a map.