A member of the Ukrainian Special Forces UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicles) unit, Typhoon, says that gamers might be better-equipped to pilot drones in real-life conflict than you’d first think. The similarities between the likes of Call of Duty and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are admittedly slim, but where one has the ability to instantly retry failed attempts, the other has serious and deadly consequences.
Drones are being used by Russian and Ukrainian forces, humming ominously across the skies. On the face of it, piloting an uncrewed system like a drone might seem to bear a lot of resemblance to video games with their headsets and joystick-like control systems, but it gets far more complicated when you’re forced to take into account potential sabotage such as signal-jamming or attacks on your drone. Typhoon operators also need to consider the terrain and the real-time battlefield situation, as well as communicate and coordinate with command.
Speaking to Business Insider, members of Typhoon have said that, despite the massively heightened stakes in conflict, gamers sometimes possess more transferable skills than you might assume. “People might think flying a military drone is like playing Call of Duty, until they realize there’s no restart option,” an operator says. In Call of Duty, players can equip the Breacher Drone, which is a pocket-sized drone that flies in a straight line until it either collides with something or detects an enemy and explodes.
While real-world warfare is not as simple as flying a drone in a straight line towards a target, Typhoon looks for operators that can learn and adapt quickly to a battlefield that’s constantly changing. That includes rapid analytical skills that deliver results effectively, which gamers are notoriously in possession of.
“Gamers make great drone pilots because they are used to fast-moving situations on the screen, just like in real drone operations,” Typhoon’s commander, call sign Michael, explains. “They already have experience making quick decisions, reacting fast, and controlling complex systems, which are all important skills in combat.”
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has emphasized the importance of drones in the war in Ukraine, and the country has been actively developing more aerial, surface, and water-based uncrewed vehicles. While the number of Typhoon operators is confidential for security purposes, the unit is currently actively recruiting.
