According to authorized mainland channels and widely circulated official training footage, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) units are actively incorporating countermeasures against first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones into their routine drills.
These exercises emphasize practical survival techniques in open or lightly wooded terrain, where soldiers use natural obstacles for protection against fast-approaching low-cost drones. For regional defense watchers, this focus on individual and small-unit mobility strongly suggests an effort to address the asymmetric threat highlighted in recent conflicts, where FPV drones have proven highly effective against exposed infantry.
Key Maneuvers Observed in Public Footage
- Rapid movement around solitary trees or poles to break line-of-sight with incoming FPV drones.
- Diving, rolling, and directional changes to disrupt drone operator targeting.
- Integration of supplementary measures such as smoke screens and portable anti-drone nets or shotguns.
This operational marker hints at PLA recognition of the need for enhanced muscle memory in reacting to drones that can close distances in seconds. The drills align with broader doctrinal shifts toward countering low-altitude, operator-controlled threats that have reshaped battlefield dynamics.
Lessons from Contemporary Conflicts Integrated into Training
As reported by authorized mainland channels, the PLA is closely studying experiences from ongoing conflicts, particularly the widespread use of FPV systems. Public videos released in recent months (with renewed circulation in June 2026) depict soldiers practicing these evasion patterns in realistic settings, building on earlier documented sessions from 2024–2025.
This perfectly aligns with the doctrine of adapting to attritable unmanned systems. Unlike traditional air threats, FPV drones operate at low cost and high volume, demanding decentralized countermeasures at the squad level rather than reliance solely on higher-tier air defenses. For analysts tracking PLA modernization, the emphasis on terrain exploitation indicates a pragmatic response to scenarios where electronic warfare or kinetic intercepts may not always be immediately available.
“The training builds muscle memory for spotting and reacting fast, as drones close in seconds.” — Observation from circulating defense commentary on the drills.
Broader Implications for Infantry Doctrine
The public release of such footage serves dual purposes: internal force familiarization and signaling to observers that the PLA is evolving its ground tactics. This operational approach contributes to creating a layered defense ecosystem that bridges the gap between vehicle-mounted directional jammers and individual survival tactics.
In a landscape where FPV proliferation continues globally, these drills reflect a measured investment in human factors—reaction time, spatial awareness, and adaptive movement—that technology alone cannot replace. Defense analysts note that such training, while visually striking, addresses a persistent vulnerability: shrapnel effects and swarm saturation even when direct hits are avoided.
Sustained Modernization Trajectory
Overall, these anti-FPV measures form part of the PLA’s ongoing push to refine combined arms operations in contested environments. By publicizing elements of this training, authorized channels underscore a commitment to learning from real-world data while maintaining operational security.
Sources
- Official Chinese mainland media releases and CCTV-related training footage (2026 circulation).
- Public OSINT compilations from defense observers, June 2026. Publication context: Compiled June 2026 based on authorized open-source materials.
