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Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade Trains Drone Pilots at Killhouse Academy
Business Insider visited the facility in May 2026 and observed basic FPV drone instruction for Ukrainian soldiers and foreign students. The program charges $180 for locals and twice that for foreigners while graduating 80 percent of roughly 250 monthly participants.
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Business Insider reported visiting the Killhouse Academy in May 2026, where Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade runs an intensive drone training program established two years earlier. The basic FPV course teaches takeoff, hovering, navigation through at least three obstacles on an indoor course, and landing using 7-inch quadcopters.
The daytime session runs six hours a day for six days a week, while the evening option lasts three hours per night over 10 days.
Roughly 250 students enroll each month, with an 80 percent graduation rate that awards a certificate qualifying pilots for drone operations; those who fail the final exam may retake it later. Ukrainians pay about $180 for the basic course, while foreign students pay $360. Ukrainian soldiers receive a discount, and disabled military personnel along with members of the 3rd Army Corps attend free.
Foreign students make up about 5 percent of enrollment. Students range in age from 15, who require parental permission, to over 60. Most are soldiers, though civilians and defense industry workers also participate.
An air-raid siren interrupted a Business Insider interview with spokesperson Radio at the facility. Sante, a foreign fighter from the Mediterranean who arrived in Ukraine in 2025 with no prior drone experience, said the training resembles learning to drive a car and requires repeated practice.
Radio noted that older students without video game experience often face greater difficulty, while teenagers can complete the course in days.
The academy has expanded beyond basic FPV training to include advanced, fixed-wing, and uncrewed ground vehicle courses that incorporate fresh battlefield lessons. Radio said discussions continue with several countries, including NATO members, about offering Killhouse courses abroad.
