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Spectral Aviation’s UAV pilot training course will cover forty hours of theoretical
training over five days. Spectral Aviation Photo
Less than a month after announcing the launch of a UAV pilot training in partnership with the Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence (UAS CE) in the City of Alma, the management team of Spectral Aviation are pleased to announce a first cohort in Quebec City, as early as November.
For a total of forty hours, this theoretical training is spread over five days. Based on Transport Canada’s manned aircraft pilot training criteria, this training will permit attendees to understand the necessary elements to safely operate unmanned aerial systems (UAS), such as meteorology, theory of flight, Canadian aviation regulations (CAR), instrumentation, radiotelephony procedures as well as the various existing systems on the market. Once the training is completed, attendees will be able to operate UAS with a good knowledge of the regulations of Transport Canada. In addition, if the attendees meet the requirements of the training, these will also receive a certificate of successful completion of the course as well as a certificate of restricted radio operator – aeronautical qualification.
“Theoretical training is the basis of safe flight operations. By offering this training to the operators, we are teaching them the elements that are necessary for a good decision-making while using their UAS in the airspace, which will ensure their safety and the safety of others ”, explains the president of Spectral Aviation, Mathieu Boulianne. In regard of the practical aspect of the training, Boulianne adds: “We are currently working on establishing agreements with manufacturers to support the practical side of the training. We truly believe that in order to ensure safe operations of the platform used by the pilot, this specific training has to be provided by the manufacturer himself or his representative”.
Representing one of the only companies in Canada to provide this type of training, Boulianne indicates that Spectral Aviation intends to become the main UAS pilot training services provider across Canada. “The demand is huge. We are receiving telephone calls from operators of a multitude of different fields such as surveying, cinematography, forestry and construction. Being located in the greater Quebec City area, we are extremely proud to provide this UAS pilot training to our folks”, he said. Boulianne adds that the field of commercial UAVs wins to be known better in the area of Quebec city, and that Spectral Aviation makes a point of honour to inform individuals and companies about the use of these UAVs.
Director general of the Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence, Marc Moffatt explains that this new expertise at the Centre via Spectral Aviation is a proactive initiative in mind of the establishment of regulation for small UAVs in Canada, expected within few years: “Few rules are currently governing the operations of small UAVs in Canada. Until the training becomes mandatory, it is the duty of all operators to ensure that their operations are safe, and that they have the necessary knowledge to operate UAVs in the Canadian airspace”.
The first cohort, which will be held from Oct. 20th to Oct. 24th 2014 in the offices of the UAS Centre of Excellence in Alma, is already full. A third cohort is already scheduled for December, again at the UAS Centre of Excellence. People interested to register are invited to complete the registration form available on the Spectral Aviation website at www.spectralaviation.com/calendrier or by communicating directly with the Spectral Aviation team at 581-888-9044.
