Boris Johnson admits he repeatedly crashes drones after testing Army device

“Hopeless” Boris Johnson has said he repeatedly crashes drones after trying his hand as a drone pilot alongside troops from the British Army.

The Prime Minister was given the chance to improve his flying skills at the Salisbury Plain training zone in Wiltshire.

Assisted by two British troops, Mr Johnson was told how the device is used to give soldiers a live feed of upcoming obstacles in battle.

He flew the device in an attempt to get a picture of journalists and photographers accompanying him at the visit on Thursday.

“I am hopeless at this, I keep buying them and they always crash,” he said.

A troop replied: “This is an expensive one.”

Mr Johnson called the UAV – unmanned aerial vehicle – “beautiful” and “stunning” as he was given a demonstration.

He was meeting with troops to observe how military spending by the Government was being implemented in the British Army.

After arriving by Chinook helicopter with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Mr Johnson praised the UK’s armed forces for their service worldwide.

“I think that it always makes your heart burst with pride to see the armed services doing anything,” he told reporters.

“Over the years I’ve seen them absolutely everywhere, from Kosovo to Basra to Afghanistan, all over the world.

“Wherever they go, I think they express the best of British values and they are welcomed, admired and even loved in the places where they do good.”

But he acknowledged the recruitment crisis within the Army, which has seen some UK combat regiments operating at almost 40% less than their required strength.

Mr Johnson said: “If you join the Army, or any of our armed services, you’re going to be getting a fantastic education but also the chance to do good and take part in some idealistic missions around the world.

“I would sell to a young person as something that will give you fantastic qualifications that also allows you to do good.”