A new Kansas State University thesis (2026) presents one of the first controlled, quantitative studies examining how small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUAVs) influence the effectiveness of U.S. Army Company Fire Support Teams. The research explores whether adding a small, commercial‑off‑the‑shelf UAV meaningfully improves three key performance indicators: observable area, target detection and fire mission processing time.
Key findings
sUAVs did not significantly improve performance under test conditions
Across all measured indicators, the experiment found no statistically significant difference between control teams using standard equipment and experimental teams equipped with a DJI Mavic 2 Zoom. High variance among participants, driven largely by inexperience, prevented measurable gains.
In a target‑rich, close‑fight scenario, teams defaulted to traditional tools
Because participants had direct line of sight to most targets, they rarely chose to rely on the UAV, finding binoculars, maps and compasses faster for immediate tasks. This behavior strongly influenced results and suggests UAV value emerges most clearly when observers lack direct visual access.
Importantly, UAVs did not degrade FIST performance
Even with minimal training, the presence of an sUAV caused no measurable drop in speed, accuracy, or situational awareness, an encouraging sign for Army leaders considering broader integration.
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