By John WoottonAirborne operations course: how to set it up in your local council districtBy the time you’ve taken the class, you’ll have mastered the basics and know what to do when you get a call.
The class also introduces the basics of flying an aerial lift.
Airborne drone operations courseIn the classroom, we learn how to use a small drone, fly a drone to collect aerial footage, use a helicopter to take aerial photographs, set up a drone with the right gear, set it to follow a route, and use a drone’s camera to film images.
By the end of the class we can have an aerial crane to take off a drone from a height of 1,000 metres or fly a small helicopter to collect images.
The class is offered through the local council in a two-week course, and there are some classes in other parts of the country, including Canberra, which are not part of the national system.
The FAA will not issue a commercial flying licence for flying drones, but a pilot who has flown a commercial drone can apply for a licence.
In a statement, the FAA said it would be “appropriate” to provide information about drone licence applications to the public if the information was needed to “provide a more comprehensive picture of the type of aircrafts that are being used by pilots”.
It’s unclear how many pilots have applied for commercial flying licences.
But according to the Australian Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, more than 200,000 people have flown commercial drones in the US since the FAA began issuing licences in 2006.
Commercial flying licenceFor commercial flying, the operator must hold a commercial pilot certificate (CPCC) and meet other requirements.
The FAA’s website says the CTCB is “required for pilots to fly an aircraft with a maximum speed of Mach 1.5”.
The FAA is aware of the need to regulate drones, however, saying that commercial drone operators must obtain a licence from the FAA, and “must comply with all applicable laws and regulations relating to unmanned aircraft systems”.
In a press release, the US Department of Commerce’s National Aeronautical Federation said the FAA had not yet determined how to regulate the use of drones, and was working with the FAA to make this determination.
“We look forward to working with FAA to ensure that these rules are in place to protect our country’s airways and airspace,” the agency said.
“For more information on the rules governing commercial drones, visit the FAA’s drone regulations website.”