Small Drones, Big Limits: A Smarter Drone Strategy
by Crispin Burke
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09.22.2025 at 06:00am
Small Drones, Big Limits: A Smarter Drone Strategy Image
Introduction
Recently, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum, delivered via quadcopter drone, designed “to put legions of small, inexpensive drones into the hands of warfighters who need them.” The decision came weeks after both Ukrainian and Israeli forces launched covert quadcopter attacks against key targets deep within Russia and Iran, respectively. The Pentagon, and the U.S. Army in particular, has doubled down on drones and other robotics in recent months, even placing quadcopter drones and robot dogs front and center during the Army’s 250th birthday parade in Washington, D.C.
Although the United States has long been the world leader in producing high-end drones such as the MQ-9 Reaper, RQ-4 Global Hawk, and MQ-25 Stingray, a recent U.S. Army exercise in Alaska highlights persistent shortcomings in how the Army employs and defends against small quadcopter drones. American-made drones largely failed to perform in Ukraine, with Silicon Valley executives admitting their products were “fragile” and unable to overcome Russian jamming. Worse yet, many doubt American manufacturers can produce enough drones, especially considering China’s dominance of the quadcopter market.
The U.S. Army will likely spend millions, if not billions of dollars, on drones and drone defenses as it aims to achieve domain dominance by 2027. As one analyst put it, “Everyone wants to win the Army’s big drone contract, get their billion-dollar check and go retire on an island somewhere.“
Yet while quadcopter and One-Way Attack drones might dominate headlines in Ukraine, their success rests on a unique set of battlefield conditions that may not apply to a future war involving U.S. troops. Although small drones have a place within the U.S. Army’s arsenal, larger conventional weapons systems will likely form the center of ground combat for the foreseeable future. Instead of focusing on offense, the Army should prioritize defense, both in combat zones and on U.S. bases. Officials should also be wary that with dozens of firms seeking access to defense dollars, the absence of a clear procurement vision risks inviting fraud, waste, and abuse.
The Emerging Drone Battlefield
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/09/22/small-drones-big-limits-a-smarter-drone-strategy/
