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Video by Capt. Jennifer French

173rd Airborne Brigade Trains Drone Operators at Grafenwoehr

173rd Airborne Brigade

March 23, 2025 | 0:41

In a world where paratroopers fall from the sky, one platoon is flipping the script. Forget parachutes. This time, they're learning to fly a little differently.

Led by Chief Andrew Topits, a UAS instructor with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) , who’s leading the charge—one rotor at a time—throughout the year at Grafenwoehr Training Area. His mission? To make sure Sky Soldiers across every rank know how to operate Unmanned Aerial Systems, or UAS. Yes, that’s Army-speak for “drones.”

“The experience so far has been fantastic,” said Chief Topits, visibly pleased that his students are flying drones. “This has been our second course. Everyone is coming out here and crushing it thanks to our aptitude assessment that we’re running beforehand—making sure these new operators have the skills necessary to operate these systems.”

Unlike off-the-shelf hobby drones, the paratroopers aren’t simply handed a controller and told to “send it.” Instead, they’re building their own aircraft from the ground up. Wires, soldering, and screws.

“All of these drones, the students have built themselves. They put a lot of care and effort into building them,” Topits explained. “They take pride in their work. They’re not just out here flying them going crazy just to have a good time. They’re out here to get work done.”

That “work” includes everything from reconnaissance to supporting live-fire exercises—essential skills in a modern battlefield where eyes in the sky can mean the difference between success and failure.

Still, seeing paratroopers hunched over circuit boards instead of parachutes is a sight that takes some getting used to. As the Army continues to modernize its formations, initiatives like this ensure that the 173rd Airborne Brigade remains on the cutting edge—proof that even the most seasoned jumpers can learn a few new tricks.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.

(U.S. Army video by Sgt. C Jay Spence)