In the shadow of the Saturn V, senior Army leaders, warrant officers and frontline Soldiers gathered Feb. 18 to explain why the service’s first Best Drone Warfighter Competition is about far more than trophies.

The roundtable discussion, held at the Huntsville Marriott at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, marked the Army’s inaugural competition dedicated solely to unmanned aircraft systems. Sponsored by the Army Aviation Association of America, the event is designed to become an annual proving ground for the service’s drone operators and a catalyst for what leaders call “drone dominance.”

“This competition is nested in the president’s Unleashing American Drone Dominance initiative and the Secretary of War’s Unleashing Military Drone Dominance guidance,” Col. Nicholas Ryan, director of Army UAS Transformation at the Aviation Center of Excellence and the Army lead for executing the competition, said. “We need to improve our relationships with industry, break down bureaucratic barriers and improve access to technology so we can have the most effective and lethal Army in the world.”

Ryan, who previously served as capability manager for UAS and was part of the secretary’s Drone Dominance Team, said the competition emerged from a clear demand signal across operational units. Divisions, corps, special operations forces, the National Guard and Reserve components all sought a way to sharpen their drone capabilities.

“The Army has always used competition to achieve excellence,” Ryan said, referencing events such as Best Ranger and the Sullivan Cup. “With this new way of modern warfare, incorporating robotics and drones, we can achieve excellence the same way.”

The competition features three lanes: Best Drone Operator, Hunter-Killer Team and Best Innovation. Each is designed not only to test skill, but to generate lessons that can be scaled across the force.

The Best Drone Operator Lane is an intense first-person-view obstacle course race. Soldiers must complete a five-minute qualifying lap; their best single lap time determines seeding. On elimination day, competitors fly two head-to-head laps, and the fastest pilot with the fewest mistakes advances.

To ensure fairness, organizers issued a common baseline drone, the Neros Archer, selected by the nonprofit sponsor. By standardizing equipment, judges can isolate operator skill rather than compare varying platforms.

“We wanted to level the playing field and just test the skill of the operator,” Ryan said.

In contrast, the Hunter-Killer Team Lane allows units to bring their own drones, whether fielded programs of record, commercially purchased systems or Soldier-built platforms, as long as they comply with federal standards. Teams carry one intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drone and up to five smaller “killer” drones in their rucksacks.

The event begins with Soldiers camouflaging themselves and their equipment to Expert Infantryman Badge standards in 10 minutes. They then complete a grueling physical test, a five-minute sled drag with a 145-pound dummy over 25 meters down and back, sprints, farmer’s carries (conditioning exercise that involves walking while holding heavy sandbags), and overhead water can presses.

From there, the two-person team has 30 minutes to move roughly 1,000 meters to a launch site, identify five high-value targets among a company-sized array, send a detailed report to higher headquarters and engage all five targets. While the strikes are inert, drones fly into nets instead of detonating, timing and accuracy are critical.

“Lethality is one of the number one aspect of the secretary’s guidance,” Ryan said. “Even though we’re not doing live kinetic strikes here, that hunter-killer concept is about making the force more lethal.”

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Micah Amman and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Kevin Bearden joined Ryan on the panel, along with Capt. Kathryn Tenefrancia of the 1st Armored Division, whose strike troop is competing.

Tenefrancia said her team brought both the Army’s fielded Skydio ISR drone and Neros Archers procured before a National Training Center rotation. But one of the most valuable aspects, she said, has been the practice range.

“Operators from every unit are sharing lessons learned,” she said. “They’re allowing each other to work with different drones and even test flight them. It’s giving everyone the opportunity to see what other units are doing best.”

That cross-pollination extends to innovation. In the Best Innovation lane, Soldiers submit a white paper, deliver a 15-minute pitch and conduct a flight test of systems they designed, often fabricated with 3D printers and built from compliant components.

Ryan said the Army is embracing what it has observed in Ukraine: frontline operators modifying equipment to meet mission demands. Recent policy changes aim to give soldiers “the right to repair” and the flexibility to fabricate or adapt systems without being constrained by contracts or intellectual property barriers.

“We’re now training Soldiers how to 3D print, design, code and build their own drones,” he said. “The innovation we’re seeing is phenomenal.”

The competition has also surfaced gaps. One unexpected lesson emerged in the hunter-killer lane: communication.

As reconnaissance drone operators identified targets and relayed information to the “killer” drone pilot, evaluators observed breakdowns in coordination.

“In Army aviation, we call that crew coordination,” Ryan said. “Two people in a helicopter talking through what they’re seeing and what they need the other person to do. We’re seeing that breakdown here, and it’s something we need to improve.”

Other insights include how much equipment a drone team can realistically carry. Some Soldiers packed light; others appeared to carry “the kitchen sink.” Organizers considered adding a 10-mile ruck march to test endurance underload and may incorporate it in future competitions.

At the same time, leaders were impressed by adaptability. Some units had never flown the standardized FPV drone before arriving. After roughly two hours of familiarization training, they competed effectively.

“A skilled UAS operator, if trained well in fundamentals, can pick up new equipment quickly,” Ryan said. “That’s critical, because technology is changing so fast.”

The competition also feeds a broader conversation about specialization. Ryan acknowledged the Army is moving toward dedicated drone assignments rather than expecting soldiers to serve as both riflemen and drone operators.

“You have to have the level of skill and expertise to focus on that mission,” he said, while noting that drones will remain a common capability across formations. The mission set, from autonomous cargo resupply to precise, contested strikes, will determine the depth of training required.

Huntsville was chosen deliberately as neutral ground. Organizers avoided hosting at Fort Rucker or Fort Benning to prevent perceptions of homefield advantage. But the city’s deep ties to aerospace and defense made it a natural fit.

“With all the businesses and industry here, this area is dominant in the UAS space,” Ryan said. “It ties directly into expanding partnerships with industry and academic institutions.”

The proximity of Redstone Arsenal, a hub for Army aviation and missile programs, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville provides access to technical expertise and recruiting opportunities. Leaders said the event underscores that drone skills developed in uniform translate directly to civilian careers.

“This isn’t a dead-end skill set,” Ryan said. “You can build real expertise in the Army that applies if you transition out. There are companies right here looking for that capability.”

Participants have responded enthusiastically to the location. Many had never visited Alabama and were surprised by Huntsville’s technology ecosystem.

“I haven’t heard a single complaint,” Ryan said. “People see this as a hidden jewel.”

As the first iteration concludes, organizers emphasize that success will be measured not in medals but in momentum.

“It’s not just about awarding points and handing out trophies,” Ryan said. “It’s about taking the lessons, improving the Army and sharing best practices across the force.”

If the Army achieves its goal, the Best Drone Warfighter Competition will become more than an annual event. It will serve as a laboratory for shaping doctrine, refining training and accelerating partnerships, all in pursuit of a force that can integrate drones and robotics seamlessly into modern warfare.

And in Huntsville last week, leaders made clear that drone dominance begins with giving Soldiers the opportunity to compete, innovate and lead into whatever is on the horizon.