A drone hums over Manila Bay as PCG crews prep for a night flight, a sign of how unmanned tech is reshaping maritime security.

Australia has completed its second round of maritime drone training for Philippine Coast Guard personnel, part of a broader security partnership. The program ran November 24–28 in Laguna and trained 30 PCG officers in both night and daytime operations as well as drone maintenance.

This initiative follows a P36 million package of aerial drones and related maritime drone training delivered to the PCG in April 2025, with more support planned.

According to GMA News Online, the training is a tangible step in deepening defense ties and expanding PCG capabilities as Manila seeks to advance its maritime domain awareness and modernization agenda.

Australia’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Marc Innes-Brown, described the training as “an example of Australia’s steadfast commitment to supporting PCG’s maritime domain awareness capabilities and modernization agenda.” PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan also highlighted the program as part of broader alliance-building, noting Australia is the second country after the United States with a Visiting Forces Agreement that allows cross-border drills. Manila also maintains pacts with Japan, New Zealand, and Canada, with talks ongoing with France and the United Kingdom as the Philippines diversifies its security partnerships amid rising regional tensions in the South China Sea.

For the broader drone industry, the PCG’s adoption signals a growing demand for unmanned systems in civil and defense roles. Drones are moving from novelty tools to core assets for surveillance, search and rescue, and patrol missions. The programs also illustrate how supplier nations are using training and equipment grants to accelerate local capability building—an approach we expect to see across Southeast Asia in coming years.

Within the policy and procurement space, the push raises questions about regulatory pathways, data governance, and interoperability with partner forces. It also underscores a shift toward uncrewed maritime domain awareness technologies that can extend coast guard reach without increasing on-the-ground footprints. For defense planners, the message is clear: partnerships matter, and capabilities scale faster when training and equipment go hand in hand.

Training Details

The sessions covered both night and day flight operations, maintenance practices, and the human factors of operating drones at sea. Such hands-on training helps PCG officers build competence across the full lifecycle of drone use—from planning and flight to maintenance and data analysis.

Strategic Context

Australia’s support sits alongside U.S. assistance and regional partners to bolster Manila’s maritime security posture. The Visiting Forces Agreement with Canberra follows a similar framework to the U.S.-Philippines VFA, enabling closer joint activities and readiness. This is relevant as regional players balance freedom of navigation with concerns about China’s growing presence in the South China Sea.

For defense planners, the takeaway is that partnerships accelerate capability development in a fast-changing security landscape.

Industry Implications

Drone makers and service providers have a new customer in a country accustomed to fielding modern gear for coast guard tasks. Expect more procurement and training programs that pair hardware with local capacity-building efforts. The move toward uncrewed maritime domain awareness could drive standards, data-sharing norms, and maintenance ecosystems across the region.

Conclusion

The Philippine Coast Guard’s ongoing collaboration with Australia demonstrates how drone-enabled training channels help accelerate modernization while reinforcing regional security architectures. For the industry, the takeaway is simple: practical capability building goes hand in hand with stronger alliances, a formula likely to shape maritime security in Southeast Asia for years to come.