What’s the story?
Varjo and the Finnish Defence Forces are piloting virtual counter-drone training on Varjo’s XR-4 Series mixed reality headsets, aimed at improving soldiers’ readiness against drone threats
Why it matters
The Finnish Defence Forces can prepare soldiers for drone threats in realistic, repeated virtual drills without consuming real resources, with Varjo’s XR-4 Series headset clear enough to train against even a five-inch first-person view (FPV) drone
The bigger picture
For soldiers facing micro-drones and loitering munitions, headset-based training could let armed forces update threat scenarios as fast as battlefield tactics change
November 4, 2026 – Varjo, a developer of military-grade mixed reality (MR) solutions, has recently announced a collaboration with the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) Innovation Unit to test and develop virtual solutions for counter-UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) training.
The FDF and Varjo stated that they are piloting and developing virtual training solutions that aim to improve soldiers’ counter-UAS readiness. The project deploys the Varjo XR-4 Series mixed reality headset, which provides visual clarity sufficient for training to counter even a five-inch FPV drone from realistic distances, according to the company. Varjo is cooperating with an FDF brigade-level unit for the pilot.
“The drone threat is one of the critical challenges of the modern battlefield, and training must keep up with the changes”, said Timo Toikkanen, CEO of Varjo. “Partnership with the Defence Forces makes it possible to improve training and make it match operational needs. We are proud to see Finnish technology at the forefront of this work.”
According to the companies, the war in Ukraine has shown that first-person view (FPV) micro-drone systems and loitering munitions constitute a constant threat. Soldiers on the battlefield must understand the effects of drones and know how to operate under threat. The FDF and Varjo added that training solutions must be realistic, repeatable, and readily available.
Varjo noted that the FDF’s coordinated innovation activity is responding to the changes on the battlefield by seeking, testing, and working on new solutions together with its partners.
Commenting on the partnership, Major Ville Kuparinen, Head of the FDF Innovation Unit, said: “We at our end are also proud of our partnership with Varjo. Virtual technology offers a possibility to train and prepare for drone threats in a realistic and repeated manner without consuming real resources. This partnership brings together a real operational need and Finnish technology. This pilot gives us valuable insights into how virtual training can be put into even better use in the Finnish military training.”
Preparations for the partnership started in February 2026. For more information on Varjo and its XR-4 Series headset, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Varjo / Finnish Defence Forces
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Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix, where he has spent years immersed in the XR ecosystem, tracking its evolution from early prototypes to the technologies shaping the future of human experience. While primarily covering the latest AR and VR news, his interests extend to the wider world of human augmentation, from AI and robotics to haptics, wearables, and brain–computer interfaces.