This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Vladyslav Plak, the CEO of Drone Fight Club, a Kyiv-based company that trains combat drone pilots for the Ukrainian military. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Not everyone can learn how to fly a drone to fight the Russians. But over the years of training pilots, I’ve figured out ways to tell if someone fits the role.
Since Russia invaded my country in 2022, we’ve worked with thousands of Ukrainians at Drone Fight Club. Only a third of the candidates who come to us make it all the way to certification. We don’t just train men; about 15% of our students are women.
Our country’s battle drone industry is still young. But we’ve already found that most people wanting to be combat drone pilots are not ready for the studying required. Our war environment changes quickly and is difficult to navigate, and we don’t have enough time to work with people who are not completely suited for the job.
It’s like “Top Gun.” Be the best, or get out. At the zero line, you don’t get a second chance. You are either alive, or you get killed.
Musicians make for great pilots
Being a good combat drone pilot is more complicated than just quick reflexes. It is about being able to make the right decision at the snap of a finger.
When we screen candidates, we tell them to watch two balls: one green and one red. Then, we tell them which ball to catch. If their reaction speed is slower than half a second, it is not fast enough. This is the top requirement for all pilots.
Fine motor skills are also very important because the drone controls are sensitive. If one of our candidates works with a hammer in their day job, they may be good at big movements, but it may be hard for them to be a drone pilot.
However, if they play the piano or a similar instrument, they will usually learn fast. Knowing how to play music is a strong sign you will be a successful drone pilot.
To be good with music, your brain has to be wired to think ahead. You have to multitask and plan your next steps while you are already using your fingers for finer movements.
When you know how to think ahead, your choices will be made with foresight. Those choices matter when you fly in battle.
Women who excel at sewing are also often great combat drone pilots. Here, it’s the same. They need to think ahead to envision the bigger picture of what they want their clothing material to look like while simultaneously making decisions and using fine finger movements.
Generally, our good combat drone pilots are also people who can focus on the task at hand. If your mind is jumping between everything you see, you will lose your concentration.
From the simulator to the range
At Drone Fight Club, basic courses last a minimum of three weeks and have an exam each week. If you fail one exam, you are dropped from the class and advised to repeat the course.
Lessons at our school are split between our simulator, theory lessons, and indoor and outdoor practice ranges.
Our simulator, Drone Fight Simulator, is made to work with two pilots who can team up, and the scenarios are all based on the real missions that our guys fought.
The same rules that we fight with on the front lines are put in our simulator. When the soldiers come back, they tell us exactly what happened, and we update the simulator with their battles.
Just like with learning to fly a plane, you go through a pre-mission checklist, with things like checking the propellers and the data link. On the battlefield, if you forget one of these things, your mission can be a total failure.
After using the simulator, students also go onto our target ranges. Each is in Ukraine and is up to four kilometers (2.5 miles) long.
Our space is limited because of the war, but it’s important that the range is large. In the war, our enemy can be 20 kilometers away. To effectively send a drone into combat, you have to understand what it means to fly long distances over different terrain, in different weather, and with jammers affecting your drone.
When this war ends, we might start to help outside nations and militaries with their drones. We will be glad to help friendly nations defend themselves.
It’s not a matter of whether the war will end, but when it will end. I believe that this war must stop soon. It is costing too many lives.
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