A Drone Operator Training Center Launched in Lviv Region with the Support of Lviv IT Cluster

A new training center for drone operators has opened in the Lviv region. The center operates at the base of the Air Command West. The project was implemented by the Lviv IT Cluster in cooperation with EveryMatrix and the Lviv Regional Military Administration.

At the newly launched center, military personnel will undergo basic training in operating reconnaissance drones, FPV drones, and modified UAVs designed to neutralize aerial targets. The facility is equipped with six workstations and modern equipment, including PCs, monitors, drones, remote control units, VR headsets, and other essential tools.

“We’ve spent a significant amount of time creating this center and are ready to expand it if needed, so that more service members can receive proper training. The center now has everything required for simulator-based training, as well as a dedicated room for theoretical classes. Initially, trainees will learn to operate FPV drones and then transition to fixed-wing UAVs. This significantly enhances our ability to shoot down enemy aerial targets threatening our country,” said Stepan Veselovskyi, CEO of Lviv IT Cluster.

The center will train service members from all over Ukraine. Every month, a significant number of military personnel will improve their drone operation skills here. The training program was developed with the specifics of real combat missions in mind.

“This center allows us to select the best pilots who will be capable of operating fixed-wing drones. Due to their high speed, it’s impossible to catch up with a Shahed drone using an FPV. Fixed-wing UAVs, however, can reach higher speeds, allowing them to intercept the enemy Shahed at a safer distance from our positions — greatly enhancing personnel safety,” explained the external pilot instructor.

The project became possible thanks to financial support from EveryMatrix, with total costs exceeding UAH 7,355,000.

“The safety of our businesses depends on the effectiveness of air defense forces. That’s why we consistently support all of Lviv IT Cluster’s initiatives related to defending the skies over Ukraine’s western regions. This reaffirms that the tech sector is of strategic importance to our country. The work of our tech experts creates economic value — enabling us to support Ukraine’s defenders,” emphasized Yevhen Sedler, Director of the Ukrainian office at EveryMatrix.

The training center was created as part of the SKY project, one of the Victory Projects initiatives, and supported by the Lviv Regional Military Administration.

“This is the first drone operator training center in the Lviv region operating within a military unit. I’m grateful to the Lviv IT Cluster and EveryMatrix for their committed and active role in social initiatives. This center opens new opportunities, and we plan to add more training programs in the future,” noted Maksym Kozytskyi, Head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration.

The SKY project was launched in the early months of the full-scale invasion to enhance air defense effectiveness across Ukraine’s eight western regions: Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Volyn, Zakarpattia, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernivtsi.

In March 2022, the Lviv IT Cluster launched the Victory Projects — a range of initiatives to support businesses, military and critical infrastructure, and regional security. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Cluster member tech companies have invested over UAH 166,962,000 into the Victory Projects.