Anyone know anything about the UAV ground school Atlanta Hobby is doing? Not sure if they are jumping the gun on FAA. Sure hope this isn't a requirement. They graduate with flysafe UAV certification.
UAV ground school
- Thread starter Forester
- Start date
I don't think they are jumping the gun on the FAA, but they are planning to be ahead of the curve when the FAA does finally get their act in gear. I am sure that their target audience are the independent filmmakers, real-estate, resorts and other businesses who have more money than brains and are the kind of people who open the box, charge the battery, and fly. Then they read the manual.
"FLYSAFE is the world’s first and only Radio Control Aerial Photography Safety training and workshop. This event trains and certifies pilots for the safe and proper use of aerial robotics and UAS for the purposes of aerial photography and cinematography. The course includes both classroom and hands-on experience. At the end of the event, you will walk away confident and ready to safely operate with skills that only FLYSAFE Certified pilots have."
I predict that commercial small UAV operations will require at the very least some kind of pilot certification, probably little more than a written exam to demonstrate to the FAA that the sUAV pilot knows where to get and how to read NOTAMS. Probably some kind of registration for the vehicle to ID the operator in the event of an accident. (In the FAA language, an accident involves substantial property damage, serious injury requiring hospitalization for more than 24-hours, or death. Everything else is an "incident").
While there is no official FAA recognition of the FlySafe certification, they are ahead of others who might be DE's (Designated Examiners) when the FAA finally codifies the rules.
When this happens, there will be thousands of sUAV pilots getting in line to become legal.
"FLYSAFE is the world’s first and only Radio Control Aerial Photography Safety training and workshop. This event trains and certifies pilots for the safe and proper use of aerial robotics and UAS for the purposes of aerial photography and cinematography. The course includes both classroom and hands-on experience. At the end of the event, you will walk away confident and ready to safely operate with skills that only FLYSAFE Certified pilots have."
I predict that commercial small UAV operations will require at the very least some kind of pilot certification, probably little more than a written exam to demonstrate to the FAA that the sUAV pilot knows where to get and how to read NOTAMS. Probably some kind of registration for the vehicle to ID the operator in the event of an accident. (In the FAA language, an accident involves substantial property damage, serious injury requiring hospitalization for more than 24-hours, or death. Everything else is an "incident").
While there is no official FAA recognition of the FlySafe certification, they are ahead of others who might be DE's (Designated Examiners) when the FAA finally codifies the rules.
When this happens, there will be thousands of sUAV pilots getting in line to become legal.
- Joined
- May 29, 2014
- Messages
- 843
- Reaction score
- 212
Thanks for the post and for checking out UAV ground school.
We are a fan and major supporter of FlySafe. Charles and Mike have licensed our software for the FlySafe participants so when you attend their program you will have automatic access to the UAV Ground School.
Hopefully you have had time to watch our introductory video which talks to a lot of what is going on with the FAA and the soon to be released regulations. One you register on the site you will be able to see our first introductory lesson which will tour you around the site. This is Free.
Specific to your comments, while there are no current and specific rules to fly commercially, the FAA has released an interpretation of the current FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations) stating that you need to be certified to do so. While the FAA has made no final rules regarding the operation of commercial UAVs the suggested NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) after 10 years in the works has now made it to the Office of Budget and Management which is the final step before being released to the public. It is expected to be presented to the public for the required 120 day comment period by the end of the year. Once this is out the FAA will take the feedback and come up with a final rule.
As we explain in our intro video, Based on the exemptions that have currently been granted, the history of the FAA and from the various groups that have been involved with the proposed rule, we expect the FAA to require a practical test (flight test) and a knowledge exam (written test). There are 6-10 current exemptions and these require you to have a private pilots certificate with commercial sign off. While we do not expect the final rule to be quite so stringent it has been mentioned that the knowledge exam will be required (and it should be). This knowledge prep is the FAA approved program we are offering.
Over 30,000 pilots have registered for our private ground school since 2006 and our new UAV Ground School program builds on these FAA required segments and expands into many UAV specific topics not yet required like Batteries, Autopilots, Autonomous flight and more. We are adding more and more content each month and all of the new content is available to you during your one year membership. Once the final rule is published we feel we will already have meet or exceed the new requirements and will still continue to add to our content as we have always been the leader in quality content that promotes save aviation.
Clients are more and more wanting to hire certified pilots. Professional pilots with experience and credentials of solid training have the knowledge and experience to operate safely. Towards this end we will be adding a job placement program next year. This new portal will be open all of our graduates from all of the various campuses that have licensed our software. This portal will serve as a great resource for prospective clients to search out a pilot with the skills and expertise that they need. We hope that if commercial operations are your goal that you will be one of our graduates and can take part in this program.
Even if recreational flying is your goal, the knowledge and confidence you will receive in our self paced program is well worth the low program fee.
I hope that gives some feedback our program, feel free to reach out to me directly if I can help you in any way.
We are a fan and major supporter of FlySafe. Charles and Mike have licensed our software for the FlySafe participants so when you attend their program you will have automatic access to the UAV Ground School.
Hopefully you have had time to watch our introductory video which talks to a lot of what is going on with the FAA and the soon to be released regulations. One you register on the site you will be able to see our first introductory lesson which will tour you around the site. This is Free.
Specific to your comments, while there are no current and specific rules to fly commercially, the FAA has released an interpretation of the current FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations) stating that you need to be certified to do so. While the FAA has made no final rules regarding the operation of commercial UAVs the suggested NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) after 10 years in the works has now made it to the Office of Budget and Management which is the final step before being released to the public. It is expected to be presented to the public for the required 120 day comment period by the end of the year. Once this is out the FAA will take the feedback and come up with a final rule.
As we explain in our intro video, Based on the exemptions that have currently been granted, the history of the FAA and from the various groups that have been involved with the proposed rule, we expect the FAA to require a practical test (flight test) and a knowledge exam (written test). There are 6-10 current exemptions and these require you to have a private pilots certificate with commercial sign off. While we do not expect the final rule to be quite so stringent it has been mentioned that the knowledge exam will be required (and it should be). This knowledge prep is the FAA approved program we are offering.
Over 30,000 pilots have registered for our private ground school since 2006 and our new UAV Ground School program builds on these FAA required segments and expands into many UAV specific topics not yet required like Batteries, Autopilots, Autonomous flight and more. We are adding more and more content each month and all of the new content is available to you during your one year membership. Once the final rule is published we feel we will already have meet or exceed the new requirements and will still continue to add to our content as we have always been the leader in quality content that promotes save aviation.
Clients are more and more wanting to hire certified pilots. Professional pilots with experience and credentials of solid training have the knowledge and experience to operate safely. Towards this end we will be adding a job placement program next year. This new portal will be open all of our graduates from all of the various campuses that have licensed our software. This portal will serve as a great resource for prospective clients to search out a pilot with the skills and expertise that they need. We hope that if commercial operations are your goal that you will be one of our graduates and can take part in this program.
Even if recreational flying is your goal, the knowledge and confidence you will receive in our self paced program is well worth the low program fee.
I hope that gives some feedback our program, feel free to reach out to me directly if I can help you in any way.
Sir, After reading the message regarding the validity of UAV Cert course I am wondering what your thoughts are now. I am asking because I am thinking about attending the FLYSAFE Minneapolis training event. More to the point I am wondering how my FAA Private pilot SEL ticket will integrate into a FAA UAV pilot rating or if it ever will.
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
If anyone answers this question hopefully they will admit they are giving a Best Guess type of answer. Until the regs actually get approved it is a guessing game. While your PPL/SEL carries a lot of weight and value (same here operating as a commercial UAS operator) we can only assume that it will also carry some degree of validity when the final regs come down. Maybe some type of "Grandfather" ruling where you are exempted from the written test. That's a guess because I would imagine some portions of the written test will be very UAS specific (like what happens when RTH is initiated). Knowing National Air Space, being able to read a sectional, and knowing how to get and file a NOTAM are very beneficial with all aspects of UAS.
While I don't think attending a FLYSAFE event is a bad idea at all (I highly encourage it actually) I wouldn't want someone to think they are "Certified/Licensed" or anything because of it.
Well, since the Part 107 certification and test is now only weeks away, maybe it's time for you to take a look at www.UAVGroundSchool.com.
Here's a short video to get you started:
