Troops may soon train for tomorrow’s drone-driven battlefield without leaving the classroom, thanks to InVeris’ latest simulator.
The “fats Drone” is a virtual training tool meant to prepare service members for the fast-rising role of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) in modern operations.
Built on Bohemia Interactive Simulations’ tech, it can reportedly mirror real-world drone behavior, providing soldiers a realistic training experience.
The simulator covers a wide range of mission profiles, from sUAS reconnaissance to counter-drone engagements.
It also supports loitering munition tactics, one-way attack runs, resupply operations, and battery-management practices.
Users can train on a standard display or through first-person view (FPV) drone goggles, giving them the same perspective they would have when piloting a real system.
Why It Matters
Fats Drone arrives as militaries worldwide accelerate FPV and sUAS adoption.
In the US alone, the army is pursuing a multibillion-dollar modernization push to equip each of its 10 combat divisions with roughly 1,000 drones and counter-drone systems.
That level of expansion also ramps up the cost of training new operators — a challenge InVeris said simulation can help solve.
“When learning to fly, trainees will typically crash and break at least one drone, and the average cost per drone is $1-2,000,” said Michael Brazell, Product Manager of Screen-Based Weapons and Systems at InVeris.
“So scaling to train 10,000 troops to fly without a simulator could cost millions of dollars and dry up critical supply lines. Simulation removes the recurring cost of buying physical drones.”
