The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has introduced its newly formed Drone Rapid Operationalisation, Integration and Deployment (DROID) unit at this year’s Exercise Forging Sabre, held in Idaho, United States, from September 6 to 21. For the first time, micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are playing a central role in the large-scale exercise, which involves more than 800 troops and integrates drones alongside manned platforms in coordinated strike missions.

With a flick of the joystick, drones such as the Neros Archer take flight, kicking up sand before soaring into the clear sky. The Archer, along with the Skydio X10 and Ascent Spirit, represent the three types of commercially available micro drones deployed by the RSAF during the exercise. The Neros Archer is designed to resist jamming, while the Skydio X10 can operate in GPS-denied environments and perform autonomous obstacle avoidance. The Ascent Spirit, meanwhile, has been fitted with a customised payload developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), enabling advanced navigation, detection, and even drone swarming capabilities — where multiple drones collaborate autonomously without human input.

Lieutenant Colonel Tay Cheng Chuan, commanding officer of the DROID unit, emphasised that the drones are “stock” and unmodified, making their adaptability in a military context all the more valuable. He added, “By harnessing the strengths and capabilities of each micro drone, we are able to achieve mission success and be more resilient against challenges such as weather and enemy threats.”

Jeremy Wong, head of UAS Innovation at DSTA’s Air Systems Programme Centre, highlighted that the Ascent Spirit’s algorithms are being refined in real time throughout the exercise to adapt to mission requirements. The debut of DROID marks a significant step in Singapore’s efforts to expand the role of unmanned systems in modern warfare, with micro drones now providing critical battlefield intelligence and enhancing integrated strike operations.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.