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Current and Future Extent of Drone Use

Bob Loblaw

New Member
I heard a report on the radio that the military is currently training more drone pilots than fighter and bomber pilots. I still have to look for a source on this, though such a thing seems to make sense and doesn't surprise me.

The main thing that worries me about this is that I'm planning on becoming a naval aviator in a few years and I'd prefer to be in a cockpit than in front of a monitor. It's a dream of mine to fly a jet and getting redirected into a drone program would be soul-crushing.

So, what would you say the current extent of drone use is, particularly in the Navy? Also, from what you you can see, how common would usage be a few years down the line?
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I heard a report on the radio that the military is currently training more drone pilots than fighter and bomber pilots. I still have to look for a source on this, though such a thing seems to make sense and doesn't surprise me.

The Air Force and possibly the Army may be training more drone pilots than real ones but that is not the case in the Navy and Marines.

The main thing that worries me about this is that I'm planning on becoming a naval aviator in a few years and I'd prefer to be in a cockpit than in front of a monitor. It's a dream of mine to fly a jet and getting redirected into a drone program would be soul-crushing.

So, what would you say the current extent of drone use is, particularly in the Navy? Also, from what you can see, how common would usage be a few years down the line?

We don't do drones like the Air Force or the Army, we have a lot less of them and don't crew them like the other services. Right now and in the near future we will have two main types of drones, small ones that have a detachment operating them with enlisted personnel doing the 'flying' and a few experienced officers doing the supervising. We also have some bigger drones coming on line too in the next few years, MQ-4 Tritons, but they will be operated and flown by the VP community (P-3/P-8's) and their officers will be doing it after their initial flying tours.

Long story short, if you become a Student Aviator or NFO in the Navy you will not be drafted at the end of flight school to fly drones like they have been doing in the USAF and that will likely remain the case for years to come.
 

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Of course the Navy is testing their first "drone ASW ship" and the SECNAV recently created and manned a new position of "Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Unmanned Systems" but you'll be fine...I see a bright future for Sailing Masters as well.

drone ship.jpg
 

Bob Loblaw

New Member
Long story short, if you become a Student Aviator or NFO in the Navy you will not be drafted at the end of flight school to fly drones like they have been doing in the USAF and that will likely remain the case for years to come.

...but you'll be fine...I see a bright future for Sailing Masters as well.

View attachment 16181

Thanks, that's reassuring. It's good to hear that I'll most likely be able to actually fly (and stay out of the politics over drones).
 
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