NDAA Calls for Study on PTSD, Burnout Among Drone Operators

According to the yearly defense policy bill, Congress wants the Department of Defense to investigate whether military drones increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other mental health issues.

The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which awaits Senate passage. The bill requires a “comprehensive study” on the mental health effects of using uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), or drones, in Section 737.

The Pentagon must analyze “the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, burnout, moral injury, and other mental health conditions” among troops who directly operate drones and those who indirectly assist them. That includes intelligence analysts who evaluate drone imagery, targeters, and non-combat service members.

Defense Scoop initially reported the NDAA clause.

Lawmakers are pursuing the investigation as the U.S. military quickly adopts uncrewed systems. The Army wants one million drones, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's message earlier this year stressed the expanding role of drones—particularly smaller systems deployed in huge numbers—on modern battlefields.

The NDAA requires the Department of Defense to evaluate drone-specific stressors. Disrupted sleep cycles, long shifts monitoring live video feeds, and seeing fatal strikes remotely, including civilian casualties, might have psychological effects.

Existing mental health initiatives for drone workers would also be assessed. Congress specifically requested that the Pentagon assess whether current services are “appropriately tailored” to the needs of drone crews and support staff.

Recently, the Pentagon has prioritized mental health, including exams for retiring troops. Supporters of the study said drone missions provide distinct obstacles from traditional combat duties, even without soldiers on the ground.

The Global War on Terror broadly deployed heavier, long-endurance drones like the MQ-9 Reaper, which analysts told Defense Scoop will be the focus of the investigation. Small, first-person-view drones, ubiquitous in conflicts like the Ukraine war, are unfamiliar to the U.S. military.

Within one year after NDAA passage, the Defense Department must provide an unclassified report. Drone operators' mental health screening and therapy must be recommended in the report.

As Congress and the Pentagon adapt to a distant and autonomous armed force, the findings may impact policy.