4e RE: 2025 Drone Operator Course | French Foreign Legion Information

A new training program has recently started at the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) in Castelnaudary, southern France. Known as the Stage Drone, this course is designed to train drone operators.

In mid-May 2025, however, an international seminar was held at the 4e RE base, bringing together specialists from various allied countries. The goal was to gather experiences from recent or actual conflicts and establish common standards, create a training manual, and lay the groundwork for modern, unified infantry tactics, including trench warfare and using drones.

Until now, drone operator training in the French Foreign Legion took place independently within each regiment, based on specific needs. The new initiative aims to build strong expertise and instructor capabilities for drone operations at the 4e RE, enhance both the technical and tactical skills of future drone operators, and eventually include basic drone familiarization in the Legion’s four-month initial training for new recruits.

From now on, future corporals and sergeants from the Cadre Instruction Company (CIC) will also be required to learn drone piloting as part of their training.

—