Drone Incident Response Training (DIRT) for Military Facilities
Counter-UAS Training for Military Members, Installation Security, and Base Response Personnel
Drone incidents are no longer limited to airspace security. For military installations, the more immediate operational challenge often begins after a drone is on the ground.
A grounded, crashed, abandoned, or suspicious drone on or near military property creates a force protection problem, a security problem, and an operational continuity problem. Whether the aircraft is conducting surveillance, testing security posture, interfering with operations, or carrying a hazardous payload, the first personnel to encounter it are unlikely to be an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team. In most cases, the initial response will fall to military members, installation security personnel, supervisors, or response teams responsible for protecting personnel, preserving force protection, maintaining operational continuity, and coordinating follow-on response.
Drone Incident Response Training (DIRT) for Military Facilities is a counter-UAS training course focused on the operational problem most military organizations are least prepared for: what to do after the drone is on the ground.
DIRT provides practical grounded-drone response training for military members and installation security personnel, with instruction focused on hazard recognition, safe assessment, operational control, coordinated escalation, and continuity of operations during drone-related incidents.
Why DIRT for Military Facilities
Most counter-UAS training focuses on detection, airspace monitoring, and drone interdiction. Far fewer military organizations are prepared for what happens after the drone is on the ground.
For military installations, this is the point where operational risk becomes immediate.
A suspicious drone discovered near a perimeter, motor pool, flight line, ammunition holding area, training range, access control point, command facility, or restricted operational area may represent more than a nuisance or airspace issue. It may indicate surveillance, security testing, operational disruption, force protection concerns, or a potential hazardous payload.
In these environments, even a single grounded drone incident can disrupt access, interrupt operations, expose vulnerabilities, delay movement, and create unnecessary risk to personnel, infrastructure, and mission continuity.
DIRT addresses the operational gap between drone detection and specialized response by providing personnel with practical procedures for grounded drone incidents before they escalate into larger force protection, security, or continuity problems.
Who This Course Is For
Military Members
Installation Security Personnel
Force Protection Personnel
Base Defense and Quick Reaction Personnel
Military Police and Security Forces
Range and Training Area Personnel
Supervisors and Installation Leaders
Emergency Response and Safety Personnel
Installation Security and Risk Personnel
This training is intended for personnel responsible for force protection, installation security, operational continuity, and initial response to suspicious drone activity on or near military facilities and property.
What This Training Covers
DIRT for Military Facilities focuses on practical grounded drone response procedures for military environments where force protection, operational control, and continuity of operations must be preserved.
Instruction is built around the operational realities of military installations and focuses on organizational readiness, safe decision-making, incident reporting, coordinated escalation, and operational continuity before specialized assets arrive.
Grounded drone hazard recognition
Safe assessment procedures
Suspicious payload and dropped munition recognition
Scene security and access control
Protective standoff and personnel safety
Reporting and escalation procedures
Evidence and intelligence preservation
Coordination with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), law enforcement, and installation response partners
Continuity of operations during drone-related incidents
Training is designed to improve the ability of military members to make safe, informed decisions during the earliest stages of a drone-related incident while protecting personnel, preserving force protection, and reducing unnecessary disruption to mission operations.
Course Delivery Options
DIRT for Military Facilities is available in three course formats to support varying operational requirements, training objectives, and resource availability.
Basic
4 Hours (Half Day)
Designed for personnel who require foundational awareness of grounded drone hazards, safe assessment, force protection considerations, and reporting procedures.
Best suited for:
Awareness training
Leadership exposure
Security team orientation
Initial installation familiarization
Intermediate
16 Hours (2 Days)
Designed for personnel who require a more operational understanding of grounded drone response, including practical exercises, scenario-based decision making, and integration of grounded drone response procedures into existing military response frameworks.
Best suited for:
Security teams
Force protection personnel
Supervisors
Installation response personnel
SOP review and refinement
Intermediate DIRT introduces practical considerations for integrating grounded drone response into existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), reporting workflows, escalation pathways, and installation response procedures.
Advanced
40 Hours (5 Days)
Designed for organizations requiring comprehensive grounded drone response training with expanded practical application, scenario-based exercises, site-specific response integration, and structured support for planning, SOP refinement, and policy development.
Best suited for:
Security and force protection teams
Installation and emergency response personnel
Supervisory and planning staff
Site-specific response integration
Policy and procedure development
Advanced DIRT includes expanded scenario work, site-specific planning considerations, and facilitated discussion to support the development or refinement of grounded drone response SOPs, internal reporting procedures, escalation frameworks, continuity planning, and policy considerations aligned with installation operational requirements.
Training Outcomes
Recognize grounded drone threats in military environments
Assess suspicious drones from a safe distance
Protect personnel and preserve force protection
Establish initial control measures
Report clearly and escalate appropriately
Preserve evidence and intelligence value
Support continuity of mission operations during drone-related incidents
Coordinate effectively with internal and external response partners
Intermediate and Advanced course participants will also be better prepared to evaluate, refine, and support the integration of grounded drone response procedures into existing installation SOPs, reporting structures, escalation pathways, and force protection policies.
Why 38 Sierra
38 Sierra provides counter-UAS training built around the operational realities of modern drone threats and the practical response challenges they create for military organizations.
DIRT was developed to address the gap between drone detection and safe, effective response after a drone is on the ground. Our training is informed by grounded-drone threat analysis, operational response considerations, and the realities of military environments where drone incidents can create immediate force protection, security, and operational continuity consequences.
DIRT for Military Facilities is built to provide practical, decision-focused training for organizations responsible for force protection, installation security, and mission continuity in environments where drone incidents create immediate operational consequences.
Delivery and Customization
DIRT for Military Facilities can be delivered on-site or integrated into existing installation security, force protection, and emergency response programs.
Training can be tailored to support:
Installation-specific operational environments
Force protection and security priorities
Access control and restricted area requirements
Internal reporting structures
Existing response protocols
Installation safety coordination objectives
SOP refinement and development priorities
Policy and escalation framework considerations
Request Training
To discuss DIRT for Military Facilities, evaluate delivery options, or review installation-specific training requirements, contact 38 Sierra.