Out in the desert, US soldiers have been working out what it takes to keep their drones moving in punishing conditions

US Army soldiers are embracing drones and navigating the obstacles that come with using them.

US Army photo by Sgt.

Sar Paw US Army soldiers experimented with drones at a recent exercise in the Mojave Desert.

Troops said that the drones offered them new capabilities, extending their sight and reach.

But temperature, connectivity, and equipment proved challenging.

Two US Army 4th Infantry Division soldiers sat on the barren desert earth at Fort Irwin, California.

One wore first-person-view goggles and held a drone controller.

The other watched the drone's feed on a laptop.

After a few moments of setup, the Neros Archer lifted off, the buzz loud up close and still audible at a distance.

The small aircraft made a short flight before returning to the launch point and circling overhead.

Then, hovering about a foot above the ground, the operator cut the power.

The drone dropped silently.

The demonstration only lasted a few minutes, but it offered a glimpse into a much larger Army experiment with drones .

As part of the service's massive transformation initiative, the Army is working to flood the force with small uncrewed aerial systems to prepare soldiers for future wars Throughout the exercise, soldiers described learning, often through trial and error, what it actually takes to use drones in the field, including when to launch them, how to keep them flying in punishing conditions, what equipment to carry, and how operating them fits alongside troops' existing jobs.