Jake Epstein
Western soldiers are using Xbox controllers to fly interceptor drones.
The drones, part of the Merops system, have been used in Ukraine and are now being deployed by NATO.
A US soldier training on Merops said the Xbox controller makes it easy to work the system.
NOWA DĘBA, Poland — Western soldiers are using off-the-shelf Xbox controllers to pilot $15,000 interceptor drones that are combat-proven in Ukraine and now part of NATO's toolbox for battling a growing threat.
The Merops system, an American-made air-defense setup that comes with an Xbox controller for the operators, launches interceptor drones capable of destroying enemy drone threats midair. US, Polish, and Romanian troops have been training on it as NATO rushes to field affordable air defenses across Eastern Europe.
A US soldier who pilots the interceptors told Business Insider that the Xbox controller is an ideal choice.
"It's compact and easy to pack and store, and Xbox controllers are very rugged," Army Sgt. Riley Hiner said on the sidelines of a Merops demonstration in southeast Poland this week.
'Very intuitive'
The US and other global militaries have long used Xbox-style controllers to support operations, including those involving drones. The practice has expanded to the war in Ukraine and is now being applied to the Merops system.
Controllers akin to those of Microsoft's Xbox or other video game systems have been increasingly integrated into military systems. The controls are often easier for soldiers who grew up playing with something similar to operate. They adapt right away, something that might not happen with an overly engineered system built to meet specialized military specifications.
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