Finland Tests Mixed Reality for Counter-Drone Training

The Finnish Defence Forces Innovation Unit and VR/XR company Varjo are collaborating to test and develop virtual solutions for counter-UAS training.

The partnership responds to the growing need to prepare for drone threats. The war in Ukraine has shown that First Person View (FPV) micro-drone systems and loitering munitions pose a constant threat, and soldiers must understand the effects of drones and know how to operate under threat.

Varjo is working with a Defence Forces brigade-level unit to pilot and develop virtual training solutions aimed at improving soldiers’ counter-UAS readiness. The project uses the Varjo XR-4 Series mixed reality headset, which Varjo says provides enough visual clarity to train against a five-inch FPV drone at realistic distances. Preparations for the partnership started in February 2026.

“The drone threat is one of the critical challenges of the modern battlefield, and training must keep up with the changes,” says Timo Toikkanen, CEO of Varjo. “Partnership with the Defence Forces makes it possible to improve training and make it match operational needs. We are proud to see Finnish technology at the forefront of this work.”

“Virtual technology offers a possibility to train and prepare for drone threats in a realistic and repeated manner without consuming real resources. This partnership brings together a real operational need and Finnish technology. This pilot gives us valuable insights into how virtual training can be put into even better use in the Finnish military training,” said Major Ville Kuparinen, Head of the FDF Innovation Unit.