UAV Industries, the Western Cape’s only drone pilot training centre, has released its first batch of 14 graduates.

These are the first certified trained pilots who are authorised to fly drones in the region. This spells the commencement of new jobs in the country for a brand new industry, with just four training schools currently in South Africa.

UAV Industries Chief Instructor, Greg Donaldson, explains, “People think that drones are just good for Cape Town’s booming film industry, but there are a wide diversity of industries that will need, and employ, certified drone pilots – utilities particularly will be huge.

“Anything that manned aviation does today that doesn’t involve the transportation of passengers will be taken over by drones over the next five to ten years so there are huge opportunities for the industry. Things are moving incredibly quickly.”

Civil Aviation provided UAV Industries with the certificate to train individuals as a Remote Training Organisation (RTO) under part 141 of the Civil Aviation regulations in December last year. According to Donaldson, the company had a lot of interest from potential drone pilots within the first week of January and has mainly been working with experienced model aeroplane flyers that which to convert into legal drone pilots.

Flying legally

To fly a drone legally the operator needs three items of paperwork: the drone, pilot and company all need to be licenced.

UAV Industries offers pilot certification – the equivalent in manned aviation of a commercial pilot’s licence. The course includes a pre-on-site program, two weeks full-time on site and ground school and flight school, totalling three to four weeks in total.

A Civil Aviation designated examiner tests every single student to Civil Aviation standards before a licence is issued.

“There is a lot of detail and requirements that are needed for people to understand the airspace that one’s operating. We need this time to shape expert flyers into commercial flyers. It’s not the ability so much to fly a drone, but it’s that concept of safe flying – all the risk assessments that go around a mission or a flight, and understanding how to integrate manned and unmanned aviation,” explains Donaldson.

“Crucial in our course is airmanship. You can be the best radio control aircraft flyer, but you’ll fail our course if you don’t have situational awareness of, not just the drone, but the other users of the airspace around you –  people on the ground, buildings, and property.”

As part of the course, UAV Industries facilitates the entire process with Civil Aviation for trainees to get their “red book” – the pilot’s licence – leaving the pilot to ensure they have a legal Remote Operating Company (ROC) and that the drone is registered.