GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — Soldiers competing in the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Best Drone Warfighter Competition navigated the Lethal Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) lane at the 7th Army Training Command’s (7ATC) Grafenwoehr Training Area Urban Operations Site this week, testing their ability to identify targets, report accurately, and coordinate precision effects under pressure.

The Lethal UAS lane evaluates a competitor’s ability to rapidly recognize battlefield threats, generate timely and accurate reports, and complete a call-for-fire mission while conducting a simultaneous drone strike on designated targets.

“The lane is meant to test and evaluate Soldiers on their ability to identify targets, make accurate reports, and complete a call for fire mission as well as a simultaneous drone strike on forward observers and a mortar team,” said Sgt. 1st Class Logan Parks, UAS program manager, 7ATC’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) . “We emphasize the importance of timely messages to observers and accurate call for fire, along with an assessed strike with a first-person view (FPV) drone on a tower target.”

Competitors must assess each target in accordance with the ground force commander’s objectives, communicate reports without delay, and execute effects precisely as directed.

“Soldiers are expected to report in a timely manner and eliminate those targets as per the commander’s guidance,” Parks said.

The densely built urban environment forces operators to fly drones through tight corridors, obscured spaces, and around multi-level structures — presenting challenges not found in open terrain.

“The most difficult part is identification of the targets,” Parks said. “Some of the more tucked-in targets are harder for UAS to assess. It comes down to operator skill and the competency of the team lead to ensure they’re assessing correctly and using their limited resources to strike the right target.”

Despite the difficulty, the lane demonstrates the increasing importance of unmanned systems in reducing risk to Soldiers.

“One of the benefits of these UAS systems is their capability to maneuver through, around, or above obstacles without endangering Soldiers’ lives,” Parks said. “Using these systems to scout ahead or verify targets before eliminating them is one of their greatest advantages.”

The FPV strike portion requires competitors to demonstrate precise control, positive identification, and accurate timing while engaging targets in tight urban terrain.

“It gives that unmanned effort to strike a target with significant impact without endangering a Soldier’s life directly,” Parks said. “It allows for fine control and steering while they assess and maneuver into the exact target area.”

As competition continues, JMRC instructors will evaluate performance and gather insights for future training across the Army.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how all the teams compete,” Parks said. “Once they’re done, we’ll gather feedback on the strengths they leveraged and work to permeate that knowledge through the rest of the force.”