From Insider.
Tanner Yackley, a former drone sensor operator with the US Air Force, spent years flying remote combat missions, tracking targets, and executing high-stakes strikes — all from a windowless room thousands of miles away from the battlefield.
Yackley enlisted in the military at 18, drawn in by a recruiter who told him he’d be protecting convoys. He spent nearly 8 years in the service, sometimes working up to 12-hour shifts in a type of combat most Americans don’t realize exists. Operating MQ-9 Reaper drones, Yackley made life-and-death decisions daily, striking targets based on limited intel, monitoring suspected terrorists, and witnessing acts of war unfold in real time.
Yackley opens up to Business Insider about the realities of drone warfare: the precision required to pull a trigger, the emotional cost of fighting a war you’re not physically in, and what it’s like to live with the memories of decisions made through a screen. He breaks down drone pilot training, the mental toll of shift work, and how it feels to be forgotten in the conversation about combat veterans. He also covers the technical specifics of MQ-9 Reaper drones, such as Hellfire missiles.
Since leaving the service, Yackley has become a vocal advocate for mental health awareness among drone crews and continues to challenge public misconceptions about remote warfare.
For more:
https://remotewarrior.carrd.co/
https://rwsupport.carrd.co/
If you or someone you know is dealing with substance misuse or mental illness, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) for 24/7, free, confidential treatment referral and information.
00:00 – Introduction
00:35 – The Targets
03:14 – The Kill Chain
07:44 – The Drones
09:01 – Margins of Error
13:09 – Ground Control
16:09 – The Recruitment
17:44 – The Training
22:03 – The First Strike
25:20 – The Moral Cost
29:33 – Gamers and Myths
30:50 – The Future of War
32:54 – The Aftermath
36:59 – End Credits
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#dronepilot #militarytechnology #dronewarfare #hellfire
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How US Military Drone Operators Actually Work | Authorized Account | Insider
