U.S. Soldiers with the 165th Quartermaster Company, Georgia Army National Guard, prepare to conduct an airborne operation at Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport in Dallas, Ga., Jan. 9, 2026. The joint training between the 165th Quartermaster Company and 78th Aviation Troop Command focused on proficiency and currency of the Army Parachute Riggers, Jumpmasters, Pathfinders, and Jumpers in preparation to enhance unit readiness. (U.S. Army video by Sgt. Chasity Williams)
The Georgia Army National Guard launched its first Unmanned Aerial Systems Operator's Course in early 2026, creating a new pipeline for skilled drone pilots.
The 12-day program, which was conducted in Fort Stewart, Ga., January 5-16, is part of an initiative to field low-cost autonomous systems in alignment with a July 2025 Department of War memorandum. The directive delegated authority to commands to integrate small drones “across every unit that wields this capability to defeat the enemy in combat.”
The Georgia program was spearheaded by the newly formed Georgia UAS and Robotic Rapid Deployment (G.U.A.R.R.D.) team. A core group of six master trainers and aviators, assembled by Brig. Gen. Jason Fryman, commander of the Georgia Army...
01.16.2026 | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
Story by Charles Emmons
Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers participate in an Unmanned Aerial Systems Operator's Course Jan. 5-16, 2026 in Fort Stewart, Ga. Students received classroom instruction and performed hands-on training with the RQ-28 Short Range Reconnaissance platform, a small rucksack-portable quadcopter drone.
