Fibre-Optic FPV Drone Operator
Requirements
- Fitness for service in terms of health and moral qualities
- Age 18 to 45
- Quick reactions and well-developed spatial thinking
- Precision and attention to detail
- Willingness to learn and develop professionally
- Digital literacy, ability to master new things quickly
- Ability to work in a team
- Readiness to work in the combat zone
- Experience of flying FPV drones will be a particular advantage
Responsibilities
- Flying fibre-optic FPV drones to strike enemy targets
- Preparing the drone and spool for the flight, checking the integrity of the line
- Planning the route with the specifics of fibre-optic control in mind
- Coordinating with reconnaissance and neighbouring crews
- Preparing the next drones together with the workshop
Terms
- Mobilisation until the end of martial law, or contract service
- Basic and specialist training as required
- Pay: base pay of UAH 21,000 + an additional bonus of up to UAH 100,000 for carrying out tasks in the combat zone — up to UAH 121,000 per month in total, depending on the duration and area of the tasks
- Full social package
- Full provision of protective equipment and military property
- Opportunity to obtain combatant status (UBD)
Vacancy: Fibre-Optic FPV Drone Operator
A fibre-optic FPV is the same drone, but controlled not by radio but via a thin cable that unwinds behind it in flight. It sounds like a step backwards, but in fact it is the answer to the main problem of the modern battlefield — electronic warfare.
A conventional FPV depends on a radio signal. Where enemy EW is operating, the link to the drone is cut and the drone is lost. Fibre-optic removes this dependency completely: the signal travels along the cable, so there is nothing to jam.
This opens up work where radio does not work at all — in dense interference, inside buildings, in underground passages. Plus the video feed arrives with almost no delay, because the optical signal does not need to be processed and transmitted over the air.
The specialty is new. People who can do it are still few and far between in the army — and that is exactly why whoever masters it now will be in demand for a long time to come.
Who can become a fibre-optic operator
Experience is not mandatory, but the requirements are slightly different from those for conventional FPV.
- Precision. The cable is both an advantage and a limitation. Working with it demands attention to the route and to how the drone moves
- Spatial thinking. You need to keep in mind not only the target but also the line trailing behind the drone
- Patience. There is less sharp manoeuvring and more calculation here than in conventional FPV
- Willingness to learn. The field is young, and new know-how appears every month
Especially suited to: those who have already flown FPV and want a new specialisation, as well as people with a technical mindset — engineers, electronics specialists, those who like to figure things out rather than just press buttons.
What a fibre-optic operator does in the 141st SMB
Main tasks:
- Preparing the drone and spool for the flight, checking the integrity of the line
- Planning the route, bearing in mind that a cable trails behind the drone
- Flying the drone through to the strike on the target
- Working in a crew: pilot, assistant, link with reconnaissance
- Preparing the next drone together with the crew and the workshop
The main difference from conventional FPV is that the route is thought through in advance and more carefully. There is less improvisation and more preparation here, and that is precisely what delivers results where a radio-controlled drone would not get through at all.
How you will be trained
The path is the same as for everyone: 51 days of basic military training, then the brigade's own 14–15-day adaptation course with instructors who have fought themselves.
The specialist part starts with simulators — motor skills are developed where a mistake costs nothing. Then come courses and real flights.
Fibre-optic flying is studied separately, because a drone with a cable behaves differently. You are taught by those who are already flying — the field is young, and experience is passed on directly, from person to person, not from a manual.
What you will be provided with
The brigade provides the equipment and everything you need: gear, operator equipment, and the drones themselves with spools.
A fibre-optic drone, like a conventional FPV, is a one-way trip and does not come back. So the crew has just one question: how many drones are ready for today. They are assembled and tuned by the brigade's own workshop.
And the main thing all this is done for: to strike the enemy where no one else can reach because of EW. A radio-controlled drone simply does not get through in such places — it loses control and falls. Fibre-optic gets through. Positions the enemy considers covered and safe precisely because everything is jammed there remain within our reach.
Where you can grow
Every battalion of the 141st has UAV units, and the field is developing actively. This means there is a choice within the brigade, without transferring anywhere else.
- Crew leader — your own team
- Other types of drones — conventional FPV, heavy strike drones, anti-aircraft drones, ground systems
- Workshop — assembling and tuning drones, if you are drawn to the technical side
- Instructor — the field is young, and those who master it first will train others
It is worth saying separately: the specialty is new, and that is an advantage. In a field that is only just taking shape, a capable person rises faster than where everything was mapped out long ago.
In the 141st, rank is an entry in your military ID. What counts is competence, a cool head and initiative.
And it does not have to be unmanned systems. The brigade has artillery, infantry, repair workshops and a medical service. If you prove yourself in another area, a transfer within the brigade is normal practice, not an exception.
Frequently Asked Questions
Logic and process: we answer the key questions about enlistment, training and status.
Apply for this positionHow does a fibre-optic drone differ from a conventional FPV?
+In how it is controlled. A conventional FPV works by radio, and enemy EW can cut the link. A fibre-optic drone is controlled via a cable that unwinds behind it — there is nothing to jam. That is why it gets through where a radio-controlled drone loses control: in dense interference, inside buildings, in underground passages.
Do I need FPV flying experience to go into fibre-optic?
+Not necessarily, but it will be a particular advantage. Training starts with simulators, then courses and real flights. Fibre-optic flying is studied separately, because a drone with a cable behaves differently, and it is taught by those who are already flying.
Is it harder to fly a fibre-optic drone?
+Not harder, but different. EW cannot cut the control link, but there is the spool: the route is planned with the line in mind, avoiding sharp manoeuvres and snagging. This skill is developed in training before combat sorties.
I have no military experience. Can I still join you?
+Yes. Most of our best specialists were civilians yesterday. What matters to us is your motivation. We’ll match a role to your skills: if you understand machinery — you’ll go to the mechanics; if you know electronics — to UAVs or communications. Everything military — we’ll teach you.
How long does training take before deployment to the unit?
+Every recruit completes Basic General Military Training (BGMT) at a training center. After that — additional specialized training depending on the chosen role. We send only the prepared to the line of contact — that is our core principle.
What happens after I fill out the form?
+Your application goes to the recruiting center. Within 24 hours our specialist will call — it’s not an interrogation, just an introduction and answers to your questions. If we’re a match, the brigade issues an official request and our liaison helps you get through the TRC and MMB as fast as possible.
Can I transfer to the 141st SMB from another unit?
+Yes, we consider transfers — including via the Army+ app. Fill out the form and select the status “Active service member” — a recruiter will advise on your real chances and the steps involved.
I am AWOL (SZCh). Can I join?
+The law allows a return to service. If you’re motivated to fight in a sound team — fill out the form and state your status honestly. Our specialists will advise you individually on legal ways to return. Confidentially.
Do you provide uniform and equipment?
+Yes. The brigade fully provides basic kit, body armor, helmets and weapons. Plus — thanks to a strong volunteer network, we have additional technological support: drones, EW, transport.
Similar positions
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Tell us which role you wantWhat happens after you apply
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01
A call within 24 hours
Your application goes to the recruiting centre and a specialist calls within a day. It is not an interrogation — just an introduction and answers to your questions.
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02
Interview and choosing a role
Together we look at what you can do and where it is most useful. If we are a match, the brigade issues an official request for your transfer.
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03
Enlistment office and medical board — with support
Our liaison helps you get through the enlistment office and the military medical board as fast as possible. You do not navigate the queues alone.
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04
Training first, then the unit
Basic general military training takes 51 days, followed by the brigade’s 14–15 day adaptation course with instructors who have combat experience. We send only prepared soldiers to the front line.