US Marines fly untethered drones for first time over Okinawa base in Japan to advance combat capabilities.

On September 4, 2025, the US Marine Corps (USMC) announced that, from August 11 to 22, 2025, U.S. Marines and Sailors from the 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, carried out a training event at Camp Schwab in Okinawa focused on integrating and expanding the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). For the first time, Marines operated untethered sUAS over a Marine Corps installation in Okinawa, marking a change in the scope of their activities with drones.
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The training featured the use of the Skydio X2D small unmanned aerial system, where Marines and Sailors attended a course structured to meet specific training objectives, which was intended to sustain and improve proficiency with the system. (Picture source: USMC)

This exercise was conducted in line with the Secretary of Defense’s drone modernization guidance released on July 10, 2025, which prioritizes training with autonomous capabilities, adaptability in contested environments, and joint-force integration with emerging technologies. The decision to expand training in this way reflects an institutional effort to formalize new procedures around unmanned platforms in operational settings.

The training featured the use of the Skydio X2D small unmanned aerial system, where Marines and Sailors attended a course intended to sustain and improve proficiency with the system. The course was structured to meet specific training objectives, and completion of these objectives qualified some participants for an additional Military Occupational Specialty as sUAS operators. The stated intent was that these newly qualified Marines would return to their units with the ability to improve future training evolutions and increase the level of integration of unmanned systems at the unit level. According to Capt. Wesley Pond, Regimental Assistant Air Officer of the 4th Marine Regiment and lead planner for the training, Marines of any rank are encouraged to participate in these courses, expanding the number of service members qualified to operate drones in different mission scenarios. This practice increases the pool of trained personnel available for small-unit and larger-scale deployments.

During the event, Marines and Sailors also trained with autonomous unmanned ground vehicles, focusing specifically on the Mission Master platform. This A-UGV was employed to test experimental methods of casualty evacuation, adding an additional autonomous capability to medical response drills. For the first time, corpsmen from the 4th Marines Regimental Aid Station participated in such training, gaining experience in using an unmanned ground vehicle as a CASEVAC platform. The Mission Master was tasked to carry simulated wounded personnel out of hazardous areas and transport them behind friendly lines, enabling medical staff to treat casualties during the movement. This scenario highlighted how unmanned ground platforms can contribute to reducing the exposure of personnel in high-risk environments while maintaining the speed of casualty evacuation procedures.

Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman David Long, senior enlisted leader of the 4th Marines Regimental Aid Station, explained that the use of the Mission Master reduced the physical effort required to carry casualties on litters over long distances. He also stated that reliance on large, loud tactical vehicles was avoided, which would otherwise pose additional risks in certain combat conditions. Importantly, the system made it possible to deliver medical care to casualties en route to the collection point, increasing the efficiency of medical response while freeing personnel to focus on treatment rather than transport. In addition to medical evacuation, the Mission Master was assessed for its suitability in tactical transport and resupply tasks, further broadening its potential applications within unit-level operations. The integration of the platform into medical and logistics functions provided a test case for how autonomous systems can support and augment standard procedures in combat and training scenarios.

Capt. Pond described the overall objective of the training as a process of exposing Marines and Sailors to technologies that had not previously been used in the regiment’s training environment. His comments emphasized the practical aspect of helping personnel identify new methods of reconnaissance and maneuver using unmanned platforms. The training also reflected an incremental approach to system familiarization, qualification, and routine integration rather than isolated demonstrations. Statements from Capt. Pond made clear that the intent was to continue developing these practices and to steadily increase the effectiveness of Marines through access to unmanned aerial and ground systems, ensuring they could operate them as part of regular missions. This reflects an effort to institutionalize autonomous tools into the broader set of capabilities available to Marine units.

Colonel Richard Barclay, commanding officer of the 4th Marine Regiment, stated that the training demonstrated the regiment’s intent to train in ways consistent with how it would fight in real operations. He noted that the exercise reflected not only preparation for future conflicts but also the need to maintain an operational advantage in the current environment. Barclay credited Capt. Pond, the 3rd Marine Division, and Marine Corps Installations Pacific with facilitating the training and establishing a framework for further work with sUAS and unmanned ground systems. The regiment described the Okinawa event as the start of a larger process of continued training and refinement in these areas, signaling ongoing efforts to expand the role of unmanned systems in Marine Corps doctrine and practice. The emphasis remains on systematic development of procedures, wider qualification of personnel, and greater integration of autonomous technologies into operations across different mission sets.