Ukrainian training center WeTrueGun has turned a modded GTA 5 server into an FPV drone practice environment. The Seek & Destroy project runs on the FiveM framework and supplements real military simulator training.
Ukrainian drone training center WeTrueGun has built a custom FPV drone simulator inside a modded version of Grand Theft Auto V, creating one of the most unexpected military applications a commercial video game has ever seen. The project, called Seek & Destroy, runs on GTA V Legacy with the FiveM multiplayer framework and lets operators practice maneuvering, target acquisition, and aerial pursuit in a game-based environment. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence shared footage of the system on May 1, 2026, showing a pilot using an actual drone controller to fly inside GTA 5 and strike moving vehicles on a highway.
How Does the GTA 5 Drone Simulator Work?
WeTrueGun’s modified server repurposes GTA 5’s massive open world and physics engine into an FPV drone flight environment. Operators inside the simulator practice speed control, spatial orientation, urban navigation, and combat-style target engagement. The server includes custom scenarios where enemy vehicles are hidden among civilian traffic, requiring pilots to identify and eliminate them, closely mirroring real operational conditions.
A recent update added Shahed-type drone interception missions. Users can now search for airborne targets across the map, conduct extended aerial pursuits, and simulate FPV drone strikes on hostile objects in urban settings. According to WeTrueGun, these exercises sharpen reaction times and improve the ability to lock onto targets while in flight.
Is GTA 5 Replacing Real Military Simulators?
No, and WeTrueGun has been clear about this distinction. “Important clarification: in real interceptor crew training, specialized military simulators such as ‘Obriy’ are used,” the center stated. The GTA-based project is not designed to replace professional training platforms. Instead, it serves as a supplementary tool for relaxation, psychological decompression, maintaining active FPV skills, and risk-free experimentation after sessions with real drones and military simulators.
WeTrueGun’s standard training pipeline moves recruits through several stages. Trainees start with civilian simulators like LiftOff, then advance to specialized military platforms including UFDS (Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator) and Obriy. The GTA 5 server sits alongside this structured program as an additional practice environment rather than a core training module.
Why GTA 5 Specifically?
GTA 5 has sold over 220 million copies worldwide, making it the second best-selling video game of all time. Its robust physics engine, massive open-world map, and deeply flexible modding infrastructure make it uniquely suitable for creative repurposing. The FiveM framework enables custom multiplayer servers far beyond what standard GTA Online offers, allowing WeTrueGun’s developers to integrate FPV drone mechanics, flight physics, and combat scenarios directly into the game environment.
Even in 2026, GTA 5 Legacy maintains an average of over 61,000 concurrent players on Steam alone. The game’s active modding community and FiveM ecosystem make projects like Seek & Destroy technically feasible in a way few other game engines allow without proprietary development tools.
Can Anyone Access This Mod?
Not yet. The Seek & Destroy server was originally built for internal use at WeTrueGun and is currently available free of charge to recruits who sign contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Funding comes from charitable organizations, private donors, and the training center itself. However, WeTrueGun has stated the server may become publicly available online in the future, potentially opening the experience to a wider audience.
Video Games Have a Long History in Military Training
Using commercial games for military preparation is not new. The U.S. Marine Corps issued a mandate in 1995 to find off-the-shelf games usable for training, which led to “Marine Doom,” a modified version of id Software’s classic shooter. The U.S. Army developed “America’s Army” as a direct military recruiting and training tool built on the Unreal Engine. Bohemia Interactive’s Arma 3 became a benchmark for realistic tactical simulation, and its modding community has produced countless military training scenarios since the game’s 2013 release.
Ukraine’s drone warfare ecosystem has produced its own dedicated tools as well. The Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator (UFDS), released on Steam in December 2025, is a public version of the software used to train over 5,000 Ukrainian drone operators. Built by Simtech Solutions in partnership with the Drone Fight Group, UFDS offers ultra-realistic FPV flight physics based on frontline combat data. “Death From Above,” released in February 2024, takes a more arcade-style approach, letting any player experience drone warfare from a first-person perspective.
Why Gamers Make Effective Drone Pilots
Ukraine’s drone school leaders have consistently noted that recruits with gaming backgrounds outperform their peers. According to reporting by Business Insider, the best students at drone schools across Ukraine are those who have spent years playing video games. They are already familiar with controllers, joysticks, headsets, and goggles. Their hand-eye coordination is strong, and they can intuitively match their physical inputs with what they see on a screen or through FPV goggles.
Ukraine’s special drone unit, Typhoon, has reported similar findings. Younger operators with gaming experience bring faster decision-making skills and sharper reflexes. This crossover of skillsets has made gamers ideal candidates as Ukraine actively recruits an estimated 15,000 new drone operators. The gaming-to-military pipeline has become a tangible recruitment strategy, not just a cultural observation.
That said, gaming skills alone are not enough. Real drone operations require technical knowledge, engineering capability for field repairs, and understanding of mission-specific flight dynamics. As Ukraine’s defence officials have repeatedly noted, there is no restart button in actual combat.
The Bigger Picture: GTA 5’s Cultural Reach Beyond Entertainment
While the gaming world waits for GTA 6, GTA 5 keeps finding new ways to stay relevant. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence framed the training footage with the question “Are there any GTA fans here?”, a moment that captures how deeply the game has embedded itself in global culture. A title originally built for open-world crime gameplay is now supporting FPV drone practice for real military operations, demonstrating the unexpected flexibility of game engines and the creativity of modding communities.
What Players Usually Ask
Is Ukraine actually using GTA 5 for military training?
Ukraine’s WeTrueGun training center uses a heavily modded GTA 5 server as a supplementary practice tool. It is not a replacement for dedicated military simulators like Obriy or UFDS. The project is meant for skill retention, relaxation, and low-pressure experimentation between formal training sessions.
Can regular players try the Seek & Destroy mod?
Not currently. The server is restricted to Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and recruits in WeTrueGun’s training program. The center has indicated it may open public access in the future.
What FPV drone simulators are available to the public?
Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator (UFDS) is available on Steam for approximately $30. It is a public adaptation of the software used to train over 5,000 Ukrainian drone operators and features ultra-realistic flight physics. For a more accessible, arcade-style experience, “Death From Above” launched on Steam in February 2024.
Does gaming experience genuinely help with drone piloting?
According to Ukrainian drone school leaders and Typhoon unit reports, yes. Gamers bring strong hand-eye coordination, controller familiarity, fast reflexes, and spatial awareness. These skills translate directly to FPV drone operation, though real combat also demands technical knowledge, field engineering skills, and mission awareness that gaming alone cannot teach.
What is FiveM and how does it relate to this project?
FiveM is a multiplayer modification framework for GTA V that allows developers to create custom servers with unique gameplay mechanics, assets, and rules. WeTrueGun used FiveM to build the Seek & Destroy server, integrating FPV drone flight controls, custom mission scenarios, and modified physics into the GTA 5 environment.
