British Army Advances Drone Training with TIQUILA

Inzpire, part of the QinetiQ Group, delivered unmanned aircraft system (UAS) training to the British Army in support of Project TIQUILA. The programme, led by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, involves the delivery of more than 250 portable mini drones to the UK Armed Forces.

Integrated with the British Army’s 32 Regiment Royal Artillery for nine months, Inzpire instructors provided operational and maintenance training for rotary-wing KESTREL and fixed-wing EAGLE VXE30 drones. The training also extended to the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, focusing on maintenance and repair.

Both systems are designed for surveillance and target identification at extended ranges. The EAGLE drone offers more than eight hours of imaging capability and a range of approximately 60 miles, while the lightweight KESTREL can be backpack-carried and deployed within two minutes, with a range of eight miles.

Inzpire supported a three-week Train the Operator course for the EAGLE system, combining classroom instruction, simulation, and live flight training. Since 2023, Inzpire has worked on Project TIQUILA’s planning and courseware development, aligned with the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Systems Approach to Training framework.

Colonel Richard Ball, Commander UAS Group, British Army, said Project TIQUILA significantly enhances Army surveillance capabilities. He added that training provided by Inzpire has supported the achievement of Initial Operational Capability, with Full Operational Capability expected later this year.