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According to the new Estonian government's coalition agreement, drone education will be added to the national defense curriculum in high schools, and each school providing national defense education will receive its own set of drones.
Member of the Estonian Parliament and retired Colonel Peeter Tali (Eesti 200) stated that the project stems from Estonia having significant room for improvement in application of drone technology in defense sector. “Ukrainians estimate that Estonia should have about a thousand drone operators, so we need to move forward more quickly,” he explained.
According to the draft coalition agreement, each branch of the military will be responsible for developing drone warfare capabilities, including defense, operational use, and training.
Therefore, drone education must be immediately integrated into the national defense curriculum. For example, Tali suggests that every public school offering national defense education should also provide drone training, suggesting it might make sense to start with simulators in classrooms before progressing to actual flights.
“We have many brilliant scientists and entrepreneurs, but their ideas and technologies aren't quickly enough incorporated into the Defense Forces' arsenal or the battlefield. This needs to change—the process has to speed up.”
Peeter Tali, Member of Estonian Parliament
Currently, Estonia has only a few designated areas for drone enthusiasts to practice, but Tali recommends considering existing suitable locations like Pärnu Airport, which has minimal air traffic.
“Drones themselves aren’t particularly expensive—the important thing is to get the initiative underway. We should learn from the war in Ukraine—the brutality of war hasn’t changed, but the weapons systems have. In my view, the era of tanks is over. As a former tank operator, it's tough for me to admit, but it's true. We need drone operators at the platoon and squad levels—otherwise, we won't be able to fight effectively,” added Tali.
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He cited the Estonian Defense Forces' major exercise Hedgehog as an example, where Ukrainian drone operators participated with their own battle management systems. “It was an eye-opening experience for our allies, highlighting the urgency for us to accelerate our efforts."
The good news is that the coalition agreement includes plans for reforming military conscription next year. "Training will undergo a comprehensive review. The Defense Forces must prepare for future conflicts since the nature of warfare has entirely changed over the past two years,” the retired colonel noted.
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Tali also pointed out that the agreement includes creating an Innovation and Future Capabilities Command under the Defense Forces Commander. Its goal is to rapidly introduce artificial intelligence, new technologies, drones, and electronic warfare capabilities into Estonian national defense.
“We have many brilliant scientists and entrepreneurs, often from start-up backgrounds, but their ideas and technologies aren't quickly enough incorporated into the Defense Forces' arsenal or the battlefield. This needs to change—the process has to speed up,” he emphasized.