The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £4.16 million contract to Exeter-based company Anartes to deliver training equipment for the British Army’s developing FPV Strike capability.
According to the award notice, published on Find a Tender under reference 715130453, the contract enables the purchase of equipment for the training of pilots within the Field Army to operate First-Person View (FPV) drones.
The programme, known internally as RAPSTONE FPV Strike Tranche 2, will prepare troops for the use of FPV systems capable of carrying anti-tank, anti-personnel, and anti-structure munitions in future iterations.
The Statement of Requirements specifies that the systems will use largely commercial off-the-shelf components and open-source firmware, with the aim of developing cost-effective training pathways for future military-grade FPV drone operations. Soldiers will undergo a minimum of 15 hours of simulator training before handling the drones, building on prior experience with small ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems.
The delivery package includes 3,000 quadcopters across three size variants, 5-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch, each equipped with FPV goggles, controllers, toolkits, and chargers. The order also includes 50 Ground Control Stations and 500 video output screens. These kits will allow personnel to gain hands-on experience assembling, maintaining, and flying FPV drones under controlled conditions.
The project reflects a growing emphasis within the British Army on low-cost, attritable uncrewed aerial systems. FPV drones have proven increasingly decisive on modern battlefields, particularly in Ukraine, where improvised platforms have been used for precision strikes against vehicles and fortifications.
The British Army aims to develop a cadre of skilled operators ahead of the introduction of weaponised variants, positioning the Field Army to integrate small, rapid-strike drone capabilities into future combat operations.
