Ukraine's military recruits 'Grand Theft Auto' players as top drone pilots

Ukraine's military is finding an unexpected advantage in the world of video games, identifying skilled drone pilots among players of "Grand Theft Auto." Captain Anton Bobrovskyi, head of the drone unit training company at the 199th Training Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Air Assault Troops, revealed this recruitment strategy.

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When selecting personnel, we emphasize that the ability to use a game controller is an undeniable advantage.

"When selecting personnel, we emphasize that the ability to use a game controller is an undeniable advantage," Bobrovskyi told Ukrinform. He specifically highlighted "Grand Theft Auto," stating that players who successfully completed helicopter missions often become top-tier operators for first-person view drones.

The training center also actively recruits individuals from the IT sector with experience in equipment repair. These specialists are crucial for maintaining the drone systems, including software updates, repairs, and modernization. Bobrovskyi encouraged aspiring soldiers to consider unmanned systems, describing it as a fascinating field where operators can even see the enemy's facial expressions, unlike traditional marksmen.

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Especially, we single out the video game "Grand Theft Auto." Those who successfully completed the helicopter mission became one of the best operators of drones with first-person view cameras.

This innovative approach to recruitment comes as Ukraine continues to enhance its drone capabilities. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently announced that new domestically produced drones would be capable of striking targets over 3,000 kilometers away, underscoring the growing importance of unmanned aerial vehicles in the ongoing conflict.

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Unmanned systems are a very interesting field. I like to give such an example: a shooter does not always see the target he is shooting at, but the operator of a drone with a first-person view camera can see even the enemy's facial expression.