Drone pilots from the Hungarian Defence Forces faced off in the country’s first military pentathlon focused on unmanned aircraft skills.
Held over two days at a training area in Csobánka, the competition tested the soldiers’ endurance under demanding conditions, as well as their anti-drone shooting skills.
The first day featured a speed range combining drone handling and reconnaissance tasks. Participants incurred a 30-second penalty for each mistake.
Pilots had to fly their drones through designated routes as quickly as possible while using onboard cameras to locate signs along the course.
After the speed trials, soldiers took part in grueling night marches before returning the following day for drone shooting trials at the Izbég course.
Members of the Szurmay Budapest Helicopter Brigade’s preparatory corps won the competition, taking first place along with two special awards.
“I ask you to take the experiences you have gained here to your units, to pass them on to as many of your comrades as possible,” Major General Attila Simon told the participants.
“Come up with ideas that we can use to achieve a higher drone capability that can protect our country and our sovereignty.”
Building Drone Warfare Skills
The two-day competition forms part of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ broader drone strategy, giving operators an opportunity to test their skills, exchange lessons, and develop tactics.
Simon said troops can build on their individual skills and eventually apply the knowledge gained through the competition to real-world drone warfare.
The pentathlon also highlighted the need to defend against unmanned aerial systems as drone technology continues to evolve.
“This area is also developing dynamically, as this area is being addressed worldwide, where innovations appear every month that need to be kept up with,” the Hungarian Defence Forces stated.
