Swiss Army
Swiss Army combines mounted patrols with drone reconnaissance
A new Swiss Army training programme is pairing mounted patrols with drone reconnaissance. The exercise reflects an effort to combine the mobility and access of horses with the surveillance capabilities of modern technology, particularly around difficult terrain and critical infrastructure.
Swiss Army pairs horses with drones
A small Swiss Army training unit is pairing mounted patrols with drones to watch terrain that is difficult to reach on foot. The programme brings together a centuries old military role and a surveillance technology that can scan areas from above, including after dark.
The recruits practise riding through wooded and uneven ground while operating a drone for reconnaissance. The animals must first become comfortable with the aircraft. A young recruit told SRF that unfamiliar equipment can frighten a horse, making repeated exposure part of the training before any realistic mission begins.
The arrangement gives soldiers two ways to observe an area. A horse can move through rough ground and narrow routes with less noise than a vehicle. A drone can extend the patrol’s view beyond the immediate route and provide information from locations the riders cannot easily reach.
The army uses horses mainly for monitoring rather than traditional battlefield charges. Their assignments can include large sites containing critical infrastructure. The programme arrives as Switzerland debates defence readiness, military spending and how to protect key facilities across a mountainous and densely connected country. The source article was published by Swissinfo on September 2, 2026, following an original SRF report dated May 15, 2026.