From April 29 to May 3, Program Executive Office Soldier (PEO Soldier) fielded the first personal UAS in the U.S. Army to soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Along with inventory and taking possession of the technology, soldiers also spent the week-long fielding receiving classroom instruction on the system's capabilities, its controls, and how to operate it.

Soldiers received hands on training of the system, and flew the UAS through a number of different scenarios, which culminated in an exercise that tested everything they learned throughout the week. Everything was done in preparation for the BCT to take the system with them on their upcoming deployment, making this the first personal UAS to deploy at the squad level within a unit in the Army.

“This system is something new that not a lot of soldiers have touched or even seen before, so it's cool to test it out and push it to its limits before we take it with us on our deployment,” says Sgt. Dalton Kruse, one of the operators being trained on the system.

“Most of us have never flown a drone before, but this training gave us the confidence and knowledge to use the system, making us more comfortable to use it while deployed. It was easy to pick up and fly, very user-friendly, and I can already tell that this system will benefit my unit downrange.”

New Army technology like the Soldier Borne Sensors (SBS) has UAS complete dangerous work that combat soldiers would usually perform, which reduces future losses of life and injuries.

Part of PEO Soldier's SBS program, the UAS includes several components, including the ground control system, which is composed of a base station with hand controller and display unit, and two air Vehicles—one day and one night. The display serves as the main hub for soldiers to interact with the system, while the air vehicles are “small, highly maneuverable airborne sensors” with low visual and audio signatures that support pre-planned and on-the-fly reconnaissance missions.

According to the Army, the potential of having a personal UAS equipped to every squad gives them the ability to asses a situation from a cover and concealed position, which mitigates the risk to the soldier.

“Using this system, soldiers can understand their operational environment better so they can make better decisions and make these decisions quicker than ever,” explains John Paul Kruszewski, lead engineer for the unmanned systems at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (CCDC SC).

“It makes soldiers more effective while reducing their tactical risk.”

The CCDC SC is dedicated to using science and technology to make sure America's warfighters are optimized, protected, and lethal. As a result, the SBS provides a type of protection to soldiers that they've never experienced before, the Army says.

“This kind of technology will be a life-saver for us because it takes us out of harm's way while enhancing our ability to execute whatever combat mission we're on. I'm very grateful for technology like this and to be a part of the first unit to use it,” says Sgt. Ryan Subers, another operator of the system.

The Army says that the initial fielding of the SBS “paves the way for a system that will eventually equip every squad with an organic UAS in the future.”

“It is the start of an era where every squad will have vision beyond their line of sight,” says Nathan Heslink, Assistant Program Manager, SBS, PEO Soldier.

“The squad will not have any dead space within its area of operations and this allows soldiers to detect threats earlier than ever, meaning it is more likely soldiers won't be harmed during their missions.”