British Armed Forces Integrate Drones into Modern Tactics Amid Lessons from Ukraine.

On April 18, 2025, the Royal Armoured Corps released a compelling image on its official X account depicting a British soldier from The Royal Lancers operating a Small Uncrewed Aerial System (sUAS) alongside an Ajax armored reconnaissance vehicle. More than just a training snapshot, the image captures a clear direction in British military strategy—embracing uncrewed aerial systems as a central component of modern land warfare. As conflicts like the war in Ukraine have demonstrated, the battlefield of the 21st century is increasingly shaped not just by firepower and maneuver, but by information dominance and drone-enabled precision.
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A British soldier from The Royal Lancers armored cavalry regiment operates a small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) alongside an Ajax reconnaissance vehicle, highlighting the integration of drone technology into frontline operations. (Picture source: British army Royal armoured Corps X account )

The Royal Lancers, part of the 1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade Combat Team of the British army, exemplify the evolution of cavalry roles in the digital age. Traditionally tasked with probing enemy lines and gathering intelligence ahead of main forces, the Lancers now extend their vision and reach with an array of drones. These range from pocket-sized FPV (First Person View) drones used for close-range building reconnaissance in urban environments, to more robust fixed-wing systems capable of persistent surveillance over several kilometers. This multiscale UAV capability provides layered intelligence, allowing commanders to make decisions faster, with greater accuracy, and with fewer risks to personnel.

For those unfamiliar with the term, FPV—First Person View—refers to a drone that is piloted using a live video feed transmitted from the drone’s onboard camera. The operator wears a headset or uses a screen to see exactly what the drone sees in real time, as though they are "inside" the aircraft. This immersive control allows for precise maneuvering in complex environments such as urban streets, forested areas, or even inside buildings. In military applications, FPV drones are not only used for surveillance but are increasingly being employed as loitering munitions or “kamikaze” drones, carrying small explosive charges to strike targets with high accuracy.

The war experience in Ukraine has profoundly influenced the British Army’s approach. That conflict revealed how FPV drones, once the domain of hobbyists, have been repurposed with devastating effect. Small, fast, and difficult to detect, FPV drones have become the “poor man’s precision strike” system, capable of neutralizing high-value targets such as tanks, artillery positions, and command posts. Their low cost and widespread availability make them a potent asymmetric threat, and their psychological impact on troops—who may be watched or attacked at any moment—is not to be underestimated.

Recognizing this, the British Army has moved swiftly to not only defend against hostile drones, but to integrate similar tactics within its own doctrine. Units like The Royal Lancers are now training not just to use UAVs for surveillance, but also to conduct precision strikes with FPV drones against soft targets, static positions, and enemy drone teams. These platforms are particularly effective in reconnaissance-strike complexes, where drones identify targets and cue precision fires from artillery or guided munitions, creating a seamless sensor-to-shooter chain.

The Ajax reconnaissance vehicle, operating in tandem with UAVs, becomes a mobile intelligence hub. Equipped with advanced electro-optical systems and secure communications, Ajax can collect, process, and distribute data gathered by sUAS in real time. This allows reconnaissance elements to observe, engage, or bypass enemy forces without direct contact, reshaping how forward elements operate in contested environments. Drones essentially act as forward extensions of the vehicle’s sensor suite, penetrating deeper into enemy territory without exposing soldiers to danger.

Importantly, the use of drones and FPVs is also redefining battlefield tempo. Information that once took minutes or hours to collect through patrols or static surveillance now arrives in seconds via a live drone feed. This accelerates the observe–orient–decide–act (OODA) loop, a foundational military concept for decision-making in combat. In modern warfare, whoever completes the OODA loop faster gains a decisive edge—and drone-enabled reconnaissance is proving to be a key enabler in this regard.

As the British Army continues to invest in unmanned technologies, including anti-drone electronic warfare capabilities, autonomous navigation, and swarming tactics, it is positioning itself to confront both peer and hybrid threats. The role of regiments like The Royal Lancers, operating alongside Ajax vehicles and equipped with a family of UAVs, is pivotal in this transformation. The image shared on April 18 is not just a visual update; it represents a doctrinal shift—where drones are no longer just tools of support, but essential elements of the British Army’s maneuver and strike capabilities.

In this new era of warfare, drones offer more than reconnaissance—they offer survivability, lethality, and control of the battlespace. With flexible deployment, low cost, and strategic impact, FPV and sUAS platforms are transforming how armed forces fight and win in the digital battlespace.