Quantico, Virginia. (April 11, 2025): In response to the proliferation of armed first-person view (FPV) drones on the battlefield, the Marines are standing up a dedicated attack drone team to counter the threat. In this photo by Corporal Timothy J. Brockup Jr., an FPV attack drone operator with Weapons Training Battalion flies a Skydio X2D unmanned aerial vehicle during a range demonstration.
The team, based at Quantico, will be responsible for FPV drone training and development in conjunction with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. They will also serve as the center of FPV drone operations helping shape and accelerate modern technologies.
The goal is to equip a typical infantry squad with technology and tactics to defeat drone threats up to twenty kilometers away. These UAVs give a squad situational awareness, instant reconnaissance, as well as counter-drone capability. The Marines have chosen the Skydio X2D for its multi-band capability and ability to overcome interference. The X2D can toggle between multiple frequencies which makes for secure communications with little interference. The UAV features 360-degree obstacle avoidance, autonomous tracking of enemy vehicles, and on-board optical sensors that function as the vehicle’s eyes. It even has “GPS-denied” navigation or the ability to operate in areas without GPS signals by using its inertial guidance systems.
Starting next year, the new drone team intends to compete in the Marine Corps Marksmanship competition where it will go head-to-head against elite units like the Army’s 75th Ranger Battalion. The event will also provide an opportunity for the team to demonstrate the latest in counter-drone technology and some of the counter-drone tactics learned on the battlefields of Ukraine. The Marines are determined to counter these growing threats.