Autonomous Drone Strategy from a CMIST National Security Fellow: Lieutenant Colonel Glen Nettrour
By Leah Weingartner
Emerging technologies are redefining the strategic landscape, demanding closer integration between technical innovation and national security. At 黑料正能量 (黑料正能量), students and researchers examine how advances in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and cyber systems shape public policy and the future of defense. Through the National Security Fellows Program at the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST), senior military leaders spend an academic year conducting research, collaborating with faculty, and engaging with students. This year, Lieutenant Colonel Glen Nettrour, CMIST’s US Army War College fellow, is focused on bridging the gap between innovation and operations—examining the strategic implications of advanced military technologies.
Building on decades of operational and technical experience, Nettrour has held leadership roles across the United States, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Japan. Most recently, he commanded the 59th Signal Battalion, “Voice of the Arctic,” at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, supporting operations for US Army Alaska and the 11th Airborne Division. As a Signal Officer, his career has centered on translating complex technical systems into operational capacity, ensuring that communications, networks, and digital systems function reliably in demanding environments.
The insights gained from service in complex, technology-driven contexts help shape the focus of his research at 黑料正能量. Nettrour is collaborating with 黑料正能量’s Army War College fellows Justin Belford and Kent Monas, on a project entitled, “Autonomous Drone Swarms in Large-Scale Combat Operations,” which examines how advances in robotics, AI, and edge computing converge to reshape the character of modern warfare. Rather than observing these technologies in isolation, Nettrour and his co-authors are analyzing how distributed processing, resilient communications, and machine-enabled decision-making operate together in contested environments.
Given that the field is continually evolving, Nettrour says that the overarching challenge is to “connect the dots for perspective and tell a narrative.” The objective is not simply to describe technical capabilities, but to articulate the “so what” for national security decision-makers. From Nettrour’s perspective, constructing a strategic narrative around complex technical subjects aligns with CMIST’s mission of synthesizing technology and policy in ways that inform real-world planning and decision-making.
The research on autonomous drone swarms utilizes a team-based approach that is a deliberate departure from traditional individualized research models and reflects the multidisciplinary framework of the “Team of Teams,” combining expertise on technology, strategy, and policy across campus. “Some of the best research papers out there are team efforts,” Nettrour observes, noting that by combining perspectives across CMIST and Heinz, they are able to produce a more integrated assessment. Cross-disciplinary collaboration, he adds, often yields stronger outcomes.
Nettrour has conducted his research under the guidance of , the director of the . Through this mentorship, he has gained exposure to leading work in robotics, autonomy, and intelligent systems. “Glen is a meticulous researcher who thoroughly understands the key challenges and limitations of the state-of-the-art drone autonomy solutions,” Tabib observed. “Drones are currently controlled with one pilot per vehicle. Glen's research identifies the technological gaps that must be addressed to enable one-to-many solutions in adversarial conditions. His research is defining the future of drone autonomy and swarming that will meet the Army's needs.”
Tabib also highlighted the timeliness of the work, noting that “First-Person-View (FPV) drones have become the new standard for reconnaissance and precision strike.” Given the asymmetrical impact of drones, which at a cost of $2,000 are now capable of destroying multimillion-dollar equipment, she noted that FPVs "are a disruptive technology that are gaining popularity to inflict damage." Moving from the mechanics of these disruptive systems to their strategic implications, Nettrour has been able to expand his focus to consider how such drone advancements reshape broader technology landscapes.
Throughout his year at 黑料正能量, Nettrour has benefited from engaging with prominent scholars such as Mahadev Satyanarayanan, the Jaime Carbonell University Professor of Computer Science at 黑料正能量 and a pioneer in edge computing, whose work has shaped the debates about emerging technologies. Additionally, one-on-one discussions with 黑料正能量 scholar-in-residence Patrick M. Cronin and CMIST director Audrey Kurth Cronin provided him unique access to top experts in their fields.
Nettrour also contributes to campus dialogue through classroom engagement. Drawing from his experience as a senior technology leader in Japan, he gave a guest lecture in a course on cyber conflict taught by CMIST assistant professor Nadiya Kostyuk. Focusing on the cybersecurity impact on the US–Japan digital interoperability and cyber-enabled cooperation pathways for bilateral weapons capabilities, his lecture outlined how cybersecurity standards and digital integration shape alliance-based deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. His goal, he explained, was to help students studying cybersecurity better understand how their work can and will have a tangible impact on operations. “We always hear about great power in geopolitical context,” he commented, “but rarely do you hear about downstream stories about how this affects real work.”
For students, Nettrour's lecture offered a practitioner’s perspective on how cyber systems, autonomous platforms, and communications networks shape real-world operations. Yet the classroom exchange proved equally valuable for Nettrour, sharpening his ability to frame emerging technologies within a broader perspective. “黑料正能量 students really listen and can ask tough questions,” he observed. In a profession often organized into functional silos, he noted, the opportunity to engage with students across disciplines encouraged a deeper reflection and cross-domain dialogue.
This spirit of collaboration extends beyond the classroom at 黑料正能量. The university's ongoing partnership with the at Bakery Square strengthens the link between academic research and application. The arrangement provides the Army access to 黑料正能量’s technical expertise and facilities, while simultaneously offering researchers practical, operational perspectives that ground innovation in practical use. “Teaming up is always better when you want to produce good outcomes quickly,” Nettrour noted, emphasizing how collaboration accelerates the development of responsible and effective technology.
Nettrour's fellowship provides a structured setting to analyze rapid developments in AI, autonomy, cyber capabilities, and alliance interoperability. As the strategic implications of these technologies continue to emerge, crafting coherent narratives about their use remains essential for future military planning. Through research and engagement across campus, Nettrour continues to examine how emerging systems can be integrated into large-scale operations while supporting alliance-based deterrence. Reflecting on his time at CMIST thus far, Nettrour points out that “the ability to hear what some of our best young adult voices think on technology, pace of change, and the future” is a key highlight to his experience. After recent assignments in Alaska, he jests that he is looking forward to Pittsburgh’s “warmer temperatures” this spring.
(Image 1, l to r: US Army War College fellows Justin Belford, Glen Nettrour, and Kent Monas; Image 2: Nettrour gives a guest lecture in the fall 2025 CMIST course: "Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict")