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US Army Embraces DIY Drone Warfare at Competition
Soldiers bring homemade drones to annual Best Drone Warfighter event, taking cue from Ukraine's drone tactics
Published on Feb. 23, 2026
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The US Army held its first annual Best Drone Warfighter competition in Huntsville, Alabama, where soldiers were encouraged to bring their own homemade drones and 3D-printed custom parts. This grassroots, soldier-led innovation is a key lesson the Army is taking from Ukraine's successful use of DIY drones in the war. The competition allowed the Army to evaluate its best drone operators and the emerging drone-building skills among its troops.
Why it matters
The Army's embrace of soldier-built drones and 3D-printed parts reflects a shift towards empowering troops to rapidly adapt and modify equipment to suit their needs on the battlefield. This approach, inspired by Ukraine's drone warfare tactics, could give the US a key advantage in future conflicts by shortening procurement timelines and allowing for more specialized, mission-specific drone systems.
The details
At the competition, soldiers were allowed to bring any drone they had, whether it was a government-approved "blue list" model, an off-the-shelf purchase, or a completely homemade, 3D-printed system. This "innovation lane" let the Army see the level of grassroots drone-building expertise among its troops. Soldiers shared tips and tricks, and 3D-printed custom parts like antenna mounts and helmet displays. The Army sees this hands-on, adaptive approach to drone technology as essential to staying ahead of adversaries on future battlefields.
- The first annual Best Drone Warfighter competition was held this week at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
The players
Col. Nicholas Ryan
Director of Army UAS Transformation at the Aviation Center of Excellence and lead of the drone competition.
Pete Hegseth
US Secretary of Defense, who issued a memo signaling the importance of giving soldiers the right to repair their drone systems.
What they’re saying
“Whether you received it as an Army program of record, you bought it off the shelf from the blue list, or you built it yourself, you 3D printed it and built it yourself, bring whatever you have.”
— Col. Nicholas Ryan, Director of Army UAS Transformation (Business Insider)
“We need to allow our soldiers to fabricate and modify equipment that meets their needs and suits their needs.”
— Col. Nicholas Ryan, Director of Army UAS Transformation (Business Insider)
What’s next
The Army plans to continue incorporating 3D printing and soldier-led drone building into its drone training and across its divisions, recognizing the potential battlefield advantages of empowering troops to rapidly adapt and modify their equipment.
The takeaway
The US Army's embrace of DIY drone warfare, inspired by Ukraine's successful use of homemade drones, signals a shift towards decentralized innovation and empowering soldiers to rapidly modify equipment to suit their needs. This grassroots, adaptive approach could give the US a key edge in future conflicts.
