Pennsylvania Guard Launches Drone Specialist Course

The new seven-week tactical unmanned aircraft course began its first class at Fort Indiantown Gap, open to Guard soldiers nationwide.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Military Jobs

Isometric editorial illustration of a small quadcopter drone and loose propellers on a workbench before an open hangar doorway, in muted slate and oxblood. — The Pennsylvania National Guard began its first class of a new seven-week drone specialist course at Fort Indiantown Gap on October 19, merging two unmanned aircraft jobs into one. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Pennsylvania National Guard began the first class of a new drone specialist course at Fort Indiantown Gap on October 19. The course combines the UAS maintainer and UAS operator jobs into a single tactical unmanned aircraft system specialist role.

Why it matters

The course consolidates two separate military occupational specialties into one skill set, reflecting the growing role of drones in Guard operations. Pennsylvania is one of two states chosen to host the training, giving the state a central role in building this capability.

The first class enrolls 12 students from the Wisconsin and Pennsylvania National Guards in a seven-week course, with five instructors currently teaching. Plans call for five to six classes a year, eventually reaching 24 to 30 students per class.

The players

Pennsylvania National Guard

The state's National Guard unit, which is hosting the course and supplying all five current instructors.

The details

The course opens with two weeks of cross-training, where former maintainers learn operator skills and former operators learn maintenance. Students then spend two weeks on the 15X role, including computer-aided design and 3D printing, followed by three weeks of tactical flight training and a culminating exercise. The course is held at the base's UAS Training and Innovation Facility, which was upgraded to host it.

October 19, 2026: First class began at Fort Indiantown Gap.
Seven weeks after the start: Scheduled completion of the first class.
Eventually: Planned class sizes grow to 24 to 30 students.

Roadmap

The consolidation of the 15E maintainer and 15W operator jobs into the single 15X specialty reflects the Army National Guard's effort to build tactical drone capability within its own ranks. The course's rollout to soldiers from all 54 states and territories signals that this specialty is intended to become a standard, national skill set.

Guard soldiers who want to move into drone roles can now train for the combined 15X specialty rather than a single maintainer or operator track. Because the course is open to soldiers from all 54 states and territories, qualified members nationwide may apply for seats in future classes.

The takeaway

Guard members pursuing drone careers may now find a single pathway covering both maintenance and flight operations. Interested soldiers should confirm eligibility with their own state Guard career counselor before applying.