As global conflicts intensify, the U.S. Army is accelerating its development of drone technology to maintain military superiority. Staff Sgt. Garrett Butts, a drone expert in the 1st Cavalry Division, is at the forefront of this initiative. His team is building in-house, low-cost unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to address the rapid evolution of modern warfare, which outpaces traditional procurement processes.
Butts’s unit faces significant hurdles in legally acquiring drone components for testing and deployment. The procurement process for small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS) is governed by strict laws, requiring months of detailed research to ensure compliance. This challenge underscores the need for innovative approaches to ensure timely military readiness in an unpredictable geopolitical landscape.
The Army’s