RAF pilots become the first to earn their wings for flying unmanned drones against the Taliban 39 Squadron trained at the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada The pilots had undergone basic training before specialising in drones Their wings badges have blue laurel leaves instead of the usual brown A group of RAF pilots have become the first to be awarded their wings for flying unmanned aircraft. The four airmen, who are the first to be trained specifically for the role, will now have the ability to bomb sites and carry out intelligence missions by remotely flying the 11-metre long Reaper MQ-9 aircraft from their desks. The RAF has created a specialist flying branch for those in charge of Remotely Piloted Air Systems, training the first cohort in the United States because the machines cannot be flown in the UK under current aviation laws. The four unnamed airmen, pictured with deputy commander-in-chief Air Marshal Richard Garwood, centre, will now have the ability to fly the 11-metre long Reaper MQ-9 aircraft from their desks The 11-metre long Reaper MQ-9 drone can be used in bombing or intelligence missions thousands of miles away from the pilots' base The pilots trained at the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada and will work from the base on operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan, 7,500 miles away. RAF crew in Afghanistan have initial control of the aircraft for take-off and once in the air, a satellite link-up transfers control over to the RPAS squadron in their offices. The RPAS pilots then carry out the operation with control passed back to the RAF in Afghanistan for landing. All the pilots had undergone basic training for 'real' aircrafts before specialising in drone flights. RPAS pilots get a dedicated wings badge which has blue laurel leaves rather than brown to show their specialisation. Air Marshal Richard Garwood, the RAF's deputy commander-in-chief-operations, awarded the wings to the four pilots, who are not yet being named for security purposes. The wings badges for the drone squadron have blue laurel leaves instead of the usual brown to distinguish them from pilots flying manned aircraft Deputy Commander-in-Chief Operations, Air Marshal Richard Garwood addressing the audience at the pilots' graduation ceremony at the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada He said: 'This first graduation of RPAS pilots makes clear not only the RAF's commitment to this pivotal technology but the associated need to produce highly qualified pilots devoted to fully exploiting RPAS capabilities now and in the future.' There are two RPAS Squadrons; 39 Squadron which is currently based at Creech, and 13 Squadron, which is based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. Eventually, 39 Squadron will relocate to Waddington once facilities there are completed. Wing commander Thomas Burke, from 39 Squadron, described the RPAS pilots as an 'essential part' of the RAF, which turned 95 this week. RAF teams in Afghanistan will take care of take-offs and landings while the RPAS team in Nevada controls the operation He said: 'RPAS are an essential part of the Royal Air Force's force mix now and in the future; today marks the establishment of a sub-specialisation that will ensure the Royal Air Force can continue to lead the way in providing this essential and burgeoning battle-winning capability.' The £25million Reaper is manufactured by General Atomics and went into service in 2007. They are used primarily for surveillance by the RAF but they are also equipped with two GBU-12 500lb laser guided bombs and four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. The US armed forces have been heavily criticised by opponents for their use of drones, which are thought to have killed more than 3,000 civilians in Pakistan since 2004.