Army: Unmanned Air Systems
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many drones have been purchased by the British army for use in sport since 5 July 2024, by unit.
Answered by Maria Eagle
Military or Army drones are designed for tactical and operational applications such as surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and strike. Operation of these systems require assured Military Aviation Authority (MAA) training to ensure both their effectiveness on the battlefield and the safety of other air users.
Sports drones, or racing drones as they are commonly known, are used for competitive drone racing or freestyle flying. Designed and built for speed and agility they are commonly flown on closed circuits in controlled environments. Their utility in Defence is principally for development of skills and competency in the use of uncrewed systems.
The British Army Drone Sport Association (BADSA) is the Governing Body for drone sports in the British Army. Drones used for sport-related activity are separate to official Army drone capabilities and are purchased via a different procurement route, off the shelf.
The following table shows the type and number of sporting drones, by unit, purchased by the Joint Drone Academy (JDA).
Unit | Drone Type | Numbers |
2nd Parachute Regiment | 5” Racing Drones | 14 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 7 | |
3rd Parachute Regiment | 5” Racing Drones | 14 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 7 | |
2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles | 5” Racing Drones | 10 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 5 | |
1st Royal Irish Regiment | 5” Racing Drones | 10 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 5 | |
2nd Ranger Regiment | 5” Racing Drones | 4 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 3 | |
4th Ranger Regiment | 5” Racing Drones | 4 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 3 | |
2nd Yorks Experimentation & Trials Group | 5” Racing Drones | 8 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 4 | |
Combat Manoeuvre Centre & Uncrewed Air Systems Centre | 5” Racing Drones | 20 |
Tiny Whoop Drones | 10 |
Additionally, some units have purchased drones for sport using unit funds which fall outside of the scope of the JDA.
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