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Taiwan Army Conducts First Live-Fire Exercise with FPV Drones, Simulating Armored Vehicle Attacks

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Taiwan's army conducted its first live-fire exercise using FPV drones, simulating attacks on armored vehicles.
  • The training involved multiple units, including three artillery commands, and tested dual-drone coordinated attacks.
  • This initiative aims to diversify the army's combat capabilities beyond traditional artillery and rocket systems.

Taiwan's army is enhancing its combat readiness by integrating First-Person View (FPV) drones into live-fire exercises, a move spurred by the demonstrated effectiveness of such technology in conflicts like the Ukraine war.

FPV drones carrying munitions are extremely sensitive to changes in thrust, posing a high challenge for pilots in terms of force control and attitude maintenance.

— Sergeant Li Tsung-yenLi, from the 43rd Artillery Division's drone unit, described the technical demands of operating armed FPV drones during the training.

Recently, the army's unmanned systems training command organized a "drone training and live-fire shooting" exercise. Notably, three artillery commands, the 21st, 43rd, and 58th Artillery Divisions, participated, marking the first time they employed FPV drones with live munitions. The exercise simulated real battlefield conditions, with drones carrying 3.5-inch high-explosive anti-tank warheads to strike mock armored vehicles.

A significant development during the drill was the successful verification of "dual-drone coordinated" attacks. This involved operating FPV drones in both single and dual configurations, executing dive attacks on targets. The training focused on testing the pilots' operational skills and their ability to coordinate multi-drone maneuvers, adding a new layer of complexity and effectiveness to Taiwan's potential battlefield tactics.

Through repeated practice and experience sharing with comrades, I successfully overcame the technical difficulty of mid-air detonator unlocking.

— Sergeant Li Tsung-yenLi explained the process of mastering complex operational skills during the drone training.

The training also established standardized assessment mechanisms for FPV drone operations, covering aspects from flight control and ordnance assembly to mission execution and coordinated attacks. This systematic approach aims to institutionalize and standardize FPV drone training across relevant units, ensuring a consistent level of proficiency. Sergeant Li Tsung-yen of the 43rd Artillery Division's drone unit highlighted the technical challenges, noting the sensitivity of FPV drones to thrust changes when carrying munitions and the fine control required for stable flight. He also mentioned integrating FPV drones with "battlefield awareness systems," preparing for future technological warfare.

This training not only improved live-fire shooting techniques but also learned how to integrate FPV drones with the 'battlefield awareness system'.

— Sergeant Li Tsung-yenLi discussed the broader implications of the training, including its integration with advanced battlefield systems.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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