Lithuanian authorities to educate their populace in the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Lithuania Launches Comprehensive Drone Training Program
Starting this September, Lithuania is set to launch a groundbreaking drone training program aimed at enhancing the competencies of its population in drone control and technology. The initiative, jointly managed by the Defense Ministry and Education Ministry, will see over €3.3 million (approximately $3.8 million) invested in the project.
The program will initially launch three specialized drone training centers in Jonava, Tauragė, and Kėdainiai, with plans to expand to nine centers across the country in the coming years, including Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Utena, Telšiai, Klaipėda, and Marijampolė by 2028 [1][2][3][4][5].
The program is designed to cater to a diverse range of participants, with a focus on teaching 15,500 adults and 7,000 schoolchildren from grades 3 to 12 how to build, operate, and engineer drones by 2028. Younger children will learn basic drone assembly and piloting, while middle school students will delve into programming and first-person view (FPV) drone operation. High school students will have the opportunity to design and manufacture 3D-printed drone parts and engage in drone competitions [2][3].
The program's strategic role is twofold: enhancing civil resistance and technological readiness, and bolstering national security against drone-related threats from neighboring countries. This initiative is inspired in part by the role of drones in Ukraine's defense against Russia [2][3][4].
In addition to the practical aspects of drone piloting, the program will also focus on embedding drone skills in broad segments of society. This includes adults through collaboration with the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, while simultaneously fostering a new generation of engineers and civically active individuals familiar with drone technology [1][3][4].
With a population of 2.8 million, Lithuania is taking a proactive approach to integrating emerging technologies into its education and defense strategy, reinforcing its resilience amid regional geopolitical tensions [1][2][3][4][5].
In the past, the Ministry of Defense in Lithuania has offered courses teaching participants how to handle drones in theory and practice [6]. The Defense Minister, Dovile Sakaliene, has expressed her ambition to have 15,500 adults and 7,000 children acquire drone piloting skills by 2028.
As part of this ambitious plan, three drone training centers will open this September in Vilnius, Lithuania, with the aim of expanding the number of centers in the coming years.
| Aspect | Details | |------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Launch date | September 2025 initial three centers; full rollout of nine centers by 2028 | | Participants targeted | 15,500 adults + 7,000 children (grades 3-12) | | Locations | Jonava, Tauragė, Kėdainiai (2025); Šiauliai, Panevėžys (2026); Utena, Telšiai (2027); Klaipėda, Marijampolė (2028) | | Budget | €3.3 million (~$3.8 million) | | Training content | Building, operating drones; programming; 3D-printing drone components; FPV drone operation | | Strategic role | Enhance civil resistance and technological readiness; bolster national security against drone-related threats from neighboring countries | | Management | Defense Ministry, Education Ministry, Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, and Non-Formal Education Agency |
[1] https://www.balticworlds.com/baltic-worlds/issues/2023/1/lithuanias-comprehensive-drone-training-program-for-2025-to-2028/ [2] https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1303363/lithuania-to-launch-comprehensive-drone-training-program-in-2025 [3] https://www.baltic-course.com/eng/news/?id=105672 [4] https://www.defence-blog.com/news/lithuania-launches-comprehensive-drone-training-program-in-2025.html [5] https://www.baltictimes.com/lithuania-to-launch-comprehensive-drone-training-program-in-2025/ [6] https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/18/1300212/lithuania-to-offer-drone-training-courses-for-civilians
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