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Unmanned Vehicle University (UVU) and the International Test Pilots School (ITPS) in Ontario, Canada have reached an agreement to partner in a first in the world civil and military UAV flight test training program.
Commercial UAV operations are legal and regulated in Canada. Unmanned Vehicle University is licensed to grant degrees in Unmanned Systems Engineering and the International Test Pilots School trains test pilots and flight test engineers through the ITPS Graduate (12 month) and Diploma (6 month) programs. Both schools already have an international customer base and are known for excellence in their respective fields of expertise. UVU already has a successful graduate degree program track for UAV program/project management and systems engineering. “Now we are adding a track for UAV Flight Test,” says UVU President Dr Jerry LeMieux.
“During the UVU/ITPS partnership, UVU will provide instruction, course schedules, training materials, course development and degree training management,” says ITPS President Giorgio Clementi. “Unmanned Air Vehicles are being operated by most air forces and military services globally, it is essential that ITPS graduate flight testers also be Subject Matter Experts in Unmanned Aircraft Systems test and evaluation. The partnership with UVU ensures that ITPS graduates will receive instruction in UAS flight test from experts in the field and earn a valuable post graduate qualification, whilst qualifying as test pilots and engineers.”
UVU and ITPS will provide to industry and approved air forces, a training program that combines the ITPS graduate test pilot and flight test engineer program with a Master’s Degree in Unmanned Systems Engineering – Flight Test Track from UVU. UVU has two former USAF Test Pilot School (TPS) graduates including a former TPS Director and the TPS graduate that developed the first in the world Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) Flight Test Program for TPS. ITPS has a staff of test pilots and flight test engineers including the former Director of Flight Operations and Test Pilot for the BAE Systems Mantis UAV as well as the former Head of Flying, EADS (UK) UAS Operations. Together, these individuals will manage and instruct the UAS academic and flying program at the ITPS facility in Canada.
Unmanned Vehicle University is based in Phoenix, Arizona and is licensed to grant Doctorate and Master’s Degrees in Unmanned Systems Engineering and for undergraduates, a Certificate in Unmanned Systems Project Management.
