Ukrainian school launches free drone program to equip kids for an uncertain war
A Kyiv-area school is running after-school classes where children of service members learn to build and fly FPV drones, a skill set seen as useful amid the ongoing conflict.
In a school located about 20 miles south of Kyiv, wooden boards now cover windows broken by a Russian drone attack, while students sit beside Soviet-era guns and a spread of first-person-view drones. The after-school Tech Explorers program, organized by the Ukrainian nonprofit Dignitas, provides free STEM training to children of service members, focusing on drone assembly, repair and piloting. Participants use computer simulators, 3D printers and real FPV drones, with some, like 14-year-old Eduard, advancing to competitive racing and even assisting instructors.
Instructor Sasha explains that, given the uncertain duration of the war, teaching these skills prepares youth for future roles in a country where drones now account for the majority of battlefield casualties and are expanding into logistics, agriculture and other civilian uses. The school’s repairs would cost $500,000, but the program continues as part of Ukraine’s effort to embed technical expertise into its education system amid a growing defense and technology sector.
Why it matters
It shows how Ukraine is adapting education to equip the next generation with skills vital for both civilian and defense needs during the war.
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