They have passion, knowledge and strong skills in designing and building drones. The first Polish soldiers are beginning to fulfill themselves in full-time drone labs.

A few months ago, the Ministry of National Defense announced that as part of the development of unmanned infrastructure, drone laboratories are being established in selected military units. In these labs, soldiers will design, assemble, modify and service drones, including with the use of 3D printing technology. “This is a pilot program involving nine military units. Throughout 2026, we will and analyze them. Although formally we are only at the beginning of this path, the first results are already visible,” says LtCol (Navigator) Patrycja Balcerowska, secretary of the team responsible for the program on behalf of the Inspectorate for Unmanned Weapon Systems, operating within the structure of the Armed Forces General Command.

What exactly is a drone lab? It is a specialized unit equipped with a comprehensive workshop for manufacturing micro-class unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the popular multirotor configuration, with an empty weight not exceeding 5 kg. With the appropriate set of tools (a 3D printer is just a piece of the whole set), such a workshop not only can print key UAV components, but also design, assemble, modify and test various solutions.

The above are the program’s key ideas. Drone labs were created with enthusiasts in mind – people who already have some knowledge and skills in drones or 3D printing, and want to learn more. LtCol (Navigator) Patrycja Balcerowska emphasizes that the pilot program includes both: units where such technologies are already used at an advanced level (such as, for example, special forces) and soldiers whose experience with drones and 3D printing had previously been mainly for private purposes. “Exchanging experience and showing direction to beginners by their more advanced colleagues is an important element of the entire undertaking,” stresses the officer.

A Comprehensive Course

The activities of drone labs under the program supervised by the Inspectorate for Unmanned Weapon Systems formally began in early January 2026. This does not mean, however, that earlier there were no similar initiatives in the Polish Armed Forces. Soldiers of the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade, for example, have been building and using small drones in the ‘Vespa’ Training Center, and several months ago, the 15th Giżycko Mechanized Brigade announced the creation of its own ‘Zjawa’ Training Center.” The drone labs from the pilot program are, however, the first full-time teams, which guarantees them support and development opportunities at a completely different level. Each team includes the positions for several soldiers who can receive training at the Military University of Technology (WAT). “As part of the program, a comprehensive drone manufacturing course was created there,” explains LtCol (Navigator) Patrycja Balcerowska. The first edition of the six-week training ended on December 19, 2025, and three more will be organized this year. Although designed for full-time drone lab personnel, it is possible that in the future other soldiers will also attend.

“I definitely recommend the course to anyone interested in building drones,” says Sgt Radosław Fiuk of the 19th Lublin Mechanized Brigade, who can now develop his long-standing passion for 3D printing thanks to the establishment of a drone lab in his unit. “The instructors from the Military University of Technology professionally covered all topics: FPV drone construction, technological development, design, 3D printing, assembly and test flights. Such a course is very valuable even for people who already have some knowledge and skills,” he assesses. During the training, he met other enthusiasts and experts with whom he now exchanges experience. “The group was diverse, but no one was there by chance,” the Sergeant emphasizes.

From Design to Test Flight

Although the drone lab in the 19th Mechanized Brigade has formally operated since January, work on various projects had already been underway earlier. The soldiers independently design, print and build multirotors of various sizes (5-, 7- and 10-inch frames), which can serve as observation drones or strike platforms (so-called kamikaze drones). 3D printing enables not only the production of frames, but also of dummy payloads, drop systems, antenna mounts, battery holders and more.

“Additive manufacturing technology gives us enormous possibilities. It is a fast and inexpensive way to create proven designs or test prototypes. Printing a small frame takes two to three hours, so testing different solutions is neither time-consuming nor costly,” says Radosław Fiuk. Another option is milling, metalworking or using carbon fiber, but this is much more expensive and complex, also in terms of logistics and supply.

The soldiers note that while 3D printing has significant advantages – allowing them to create anything that fits in the printer – it also has drawbacks. Plastic structures may not always be suitable for larger UAVs that must carry not only motors and batteries, but also combat payloads. One solution may be plywood frames, which retain rigidity better than printed ones and are dozens of times cheaper than carbon fiber constructions. The team already has a developed design for such a wooden UAV and continues to seek new solutions. Beyond improving proven technologies, they are also considering the use of artificial intelligence in UAVs or fiber-optic control systems popular in Ukraine.

Microdrone production is, of course, not limited to 3D printing. Soldiers rely on ready-made electronic and optical components, which generally poses no major problems. Drone control equipment (controller with screen, FPV goggles) is widely available on the market, as are flight controllers – the drone’s onboard computer. Importantly, to reduce dependence on Chinese electronics, European-made flight controllers, including Polish ones, can be used. The only element that cannot currently be produced locally for FPV drones is the engine.

The drone lab also serves as a testing ground for UAVs developed by the Military Institute of Armament Technology (WITU). These include a miniature quadcopter observation drone (‘Pchła’ is almost the size of a hand palm) and larger micro-class strike drones provided for testing and potential repair. “We tested them thoroughly, with full equipment sets at our disposal,” says WO Przemysław Joniec, praising WITU’s proposals, which may in the future be delivered to units for training and operational purposes.

Build and Train

The pilot program of full-time drone labs in selected military units may ultimately lead to the creation of additional such units based on gathered experience, expanding their capabilities and competencies. Final conclusions will be drawn after 12 months, but it is already clear that in the 19th Mechanized Brigade things are moving in the right direction. Soldiers test ready-made solutions, implement proprietary projects and exchange experiences. They also support brigade initiatives to introduce micro-class UAVs for training.

One example is an instructor and methodological course by Lt Jakub Pasztaleniec of the 3rd Mechanized Battalion. “I developed the course based on available materials from Ukrainian and Russian military training, and I also consulted Polish soldiers from frontline and special units about how they train in this area, what they use and what works,” he explains. It is the first such course in the brigade, which trains microdrone pilots typically used for strike tasks. Each participant first learns drone construction and assembly, and actual flights are preceded by simulator training – a minimum of 30 hours in a virtual environment, and even twice as many for those without prior experience.

Cooperation between the drone lab and the course instructors benefits both sides. “The drone lab supplies us with necessary components that get damaged during training flights. I’ve already ordered 25 frames from them and I know I can rely on their ongoing logistical and workshop support,” assures Lt Jakub Pasztaleniec. Trainees thus have equipment to practice on, while the drone lab team can test new solutions on a larger scale.

Special Forces Set the Tone

Although full-time drone laboratories formally began operating in January 2026, in some branches – especially special forces – soldiers have been designing, assembling and modifying UAVs for several years. While special forces rarely discuss their solutions publicly, they acknowledge that drones are now absolutely essential on the battlefield. “Recent conflicts prove this – just look at Azerbaijan’s use of drones in the conflicts with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh or during the war in Ukraine. There’s no doubt how important reconnaissance and strike UAVs are and how much they can support soldiers on the battlefield. Thanks to them, we can inflict losses on the enemy while limiting our own. In modern conflict, sometimes a drone operator can have a greater impact than a rifleman,” admits an officer from the Commandos Military Unit (JWK).

The JWK in Lubliniec was among the first in the Polish Armed Forces to develop capabilities for producing their own UAVs. Over a decade ago in Afghanistan, soldiers observed the Taliban attaching explosives to simple commercial drones and dropping them on American forces. “I thought that if the Taliban were doing this, we should take a look at this, too,” recalls a former operator. Initial attempts were unsuccessful, but after a year or two they developed sufficient skills to modify commercial designs or create their own.

Today, the Lubliniec drone lab – formally the Additive Manufacturing Technology Laboratory – employs specialists, many with combat and mission experience, some with technical or IT backgrounds. Before the formal group was created, they trained, attended courses and gathered experience abroad. A year ago they purchased their first 3D printers and began implementing proprietary projects.

Details remain classified, but they modify market-available drones and create their own multirotors and fixed-wing platforms, mostly strike systems, including kamikaze types. They develop radio-controlled, fiber-optic and autonomous solutions that follow pre-programmed routes. Additive manufacturing is key to maintaining independence from market supply, especially in crisis or wartime conditions.

New Weapon, New Capabilities

The creation of military drone labs and micro-UAV training centers may seem like a direct response to the situation beyond Poland’s eastern border, although in some military units such technologies have been developed for years. Nevertheless, conventional forces still have much to do in this aspect. Fortunately, there is no shortage of enthusiasts eager to develop their skills in 3D printing, drone construction and piloting within military service, independently of the simultaneously developing minidrone programs (Orbiter, FlyEye, Warmate).

After four years of full-scale war in Ukraine, it is clear that flying unmanned systems – especially cheap, easy-to-produce FPV kamikaze drones – have changed the rules of the modern battlefield. Drone lab soldiers do not claim they will technologically surpass Ukrainian solutions, but they are determined not to fall behind. Modern tactics demand it.

The use of reconnaissance microdrones significantly expands situational awareness and enhances soldier safety. Kamikaze drones, though inconspicuous, are a powerful, inexpensive and widely available weapon that any opponent must take into account. Although the Polish Armed Forces are still far from a standard where at least one soldier in every squad carries a microdrone in their backpack, the pilot drone lab program is an important step and a signal that positive changes are underway.