EOD stands for Explosive Ordnance Disposal. EOD airmen identify, render safe, recover and dispose of unexploded ordnance, conventional munitions, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other hazardous explosive materials; they perform range and airfield clearance, respond to nuclear/chemical/biological threats, advise commanders and assist civilian authorities and law enforcement on bomb incidents.
EOD units are using small, backpack-portable small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) — hand-launched multirotors with optical/thermal sensors and 3D-scanning/AI features — alongside larger, vehicle-transported drones and legacy larger ground robotic platforms; the article emphasizes compact backpack-capable drones launched within minutes for dismounted operations.
Drones offer much faster area coverage, aerial vantage points, high-resolution optical/thermal sensing and autonomous mapping but lack physical manipulators; ground robots provide rugged mobility and manipulators for direct action (lifting, cutting, placing disruptors). Limitations: drones have shorter endurance, payload/manipulation limits, airspace and weather constraints; ground robots are slower, heavier and need transport but can physically interact with threats.
By allowing standoff inspection from a safe distance and altitude, drones let airmen see, image and map a suspicious object or area without approaching it, reducing chances of triggering devices or exposing personnel to blast/concussion; faster arrival also shortens the time personnel would otherwise be in the hazard area.
Procurement and deployment decisions follow standard DoD acquisition and service procedures but recent DOD policy changes (2025 memo from the Secretary of Defense) have delegated expanded authority to combat-unit leaders and service programs to buy small UAS more rapidly; unit-level buys, program offices and service acquisition authorities all play roles depending on scale and policy.
Military airmen typically must have service-specific UAS operator qualification plus civilian FAA remote-pilot certification (Part 107) or an approved DoD equivalent; the Air Force is developing/adjusting career-field training and certifications for sUAS integration into EOD pipelines (unit-level training, endorsements and formal qualification courses).
Domestic/federal airspace rules and military restrictions both apply: FAA Part 107 and airspace authorizations (or waivers) govern civilian airspace; military operations also require coordination with air-traffic control, Temporary Flight Restrictions and DoD-specific approvals (airspace/range control, Certificates of Authorization or equivalent). Local/host-nation regulations apply on deployments.