Russia and Belarus Launch Drone Education Programs in Schools Amid Military Tech Push
Russia and Belarus are expanding their integration of drone technology into public education, introducing new school-level courses designed to familiarize students with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and related technologies. The move is seen as part of a broader push to align youth education with national security and military-industrial priorities.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to United24.
In Russia, the country’s first official school textbook on drone systems “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Grades 8–9” has been approved for use in public schools following a state evaluation. Developed by the Geoscan Group in collaboration with the Prosveshchenie publishing house, the textbook is now part of Russia’s federal list of authorized educational materials and is eligible for centralized procurement by schools nationwide.
This 34-hour course, created under the federal initiative “Personnel for Unmanned Aerial Systems,” is intended to introduce students to the principles of drone technology, including drone types, manual operation, flight automation, and programming. According to Geoscan, the curriculum combines theoretical foundations with practical applications to prepare students for careers in the fast-evolving drone industry.
In neighboring Belarus, the government plans to roll out a new elective course titled “Fundamentals of Drone Control” for grades 8 and 9 starting in the next academic year. The course will blend classroom instruction with hands-on experience via virtual drone simulators, while also covering basic concepts in aerodynamics, mechanics, electronics, and coding.
The introduction of drone-focused education in both countries aligns with recent reports highlighting the increasing militarization of youth in Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories. These initiatives reflect an accelerating trend of blending civilian education with military-industrial objectives, raising concerns among international observers about the use of schools to normalize militarization and advance strategic state goals.
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