American-Made NDAA Compliant Veteran-Led Fort Bragg Adjacent
Integrated Training Methodology

The Five-Pillar Framework

This is not a course categorization system. It is an integrated training methodology where every course touches multiple pillars, developing complete operators, not single-skill technicians.

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Five Capability Domains

Every Forge and Flight Academy course develops competency across multiple pillars simultaneously. Assessment runs through all five as the intake and validation layer, not as a separate pillar.

I

Unmanned & Autonomous Systems

Students do not learn to fly. They learn how systems fail, degrade, and recover.

FPV multirotor build, operate, repair
Fixed-wing and VTOL platforms
Autopilot configuration (PX4/ArduPilot)
Mission planning and failure analysis
II

RF, Spectrum & Communications

Operators do not need to be RF engineers, they need to recognize when the spectrum is lying to them.

RF fundamentals and propagation
Electronic warfare countermeasures
GPS dependency and alternatives
Spectrum coordination with S-6/G-6
III

Field Fabrication & Sustainment

Reduce contractor reliance. Enable rapid recovery after attrition. Maintain readiness with minimal supply chain.

Soldering and electronics repair
Component-level troubleshooting
3D printing for replacement parts
Damage assessment and recovery
IV

Autonomy, AI & Edge Computing

Understand autonomy as operator-supervised capability, not a replacement for human judgment.

ArduPilot/PX4 advanced configuration
Edge computing for real-time processing
Computer vision and target recognition
Multi-aircraft coordination
V

Operator Security & Force Protection

The operator is the target as much as the platform. Personal digital signature reduction, communications security, and physical counter-surveillance belong in the same training framework as EW and fabrication.

Personal threat modeling
Mobile device hardening
Encrypted PACE plan execution
Digital footprint reduction
Technical surveillance countermeasures
Direction-finding tradecraft

DoD and government personnel only. No foreign national access.

A

Assessment: The Gateway Methodology

Assessment is not a separate pillar. It is how students enter any of the five domains at the right level and how capability is validated after training. Third-party proficiency assessment across operator, unit, and program levels is available as a standalone service and is embedded in every course capstone.

Assessment Services

How Pillars Work Together

FFF-401: our flagship course, spans all five pillars simultaneously.

Pillar
Coverage
What Students Do
I, UAS Systems
100%
Build complete FPV aircraft from components, fly tactical missions
II, RF & Spectrum
80%
Configure RF datalinks, troubleshoot jamming, develop spectrum awareness
III. Fabrication
100%
Assemble from scratch, execute field repair techniques, soldering throughout
IV. Autonomy
60%
Flight controller configuration, basic autonomous waypoint missions
V. Force Protection
40%
Device and communications discipline embedded throughout, PACE plan configuration, link security decision-making, signature awareness in field operations

Not a Course Catalog System

Common misconception: "Pillar II courses teach RF, Pillar III courses teach fabrication."

Reality: Every course touches multiple pillars. FFF-401 covers all five. FFR-201 emphasizes Pillar II but includes Pillar I platform knowledge and Pillar III field antenna procedures. The pillars are a training methodology, not a filing system.

Ready for Five-Pillar Training?

Start with FFF-401 for platform capability, or FFP-201 for operator security. Both span multiple pillars in a single cohort.

FFF-401: Fixed-Wing UAS FFP-201: Force Protection Browse All Courses