UAS/drones training entities

General information

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With the entry into application of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on 31/12/2020, the RPAS pilot training powers set out in Royal Decree 1036/2017 of 15 December 2017 cease to apply to the training of remote pilots of UAS to carry out EASA activities covered by the Regulation (those other than those referred to in Article 2.3 of Regulation (EU) 1139/2018 of the European Parliament and of the Council).

On the other hand, for those activities not covered by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, known as NO EASA activities, for a transitional period until the publication of the Royal Decree UAS, the articles concerning training of remote pilots detailed in Royal Decree 1036/2017 will continue to apply.

For distance training activities for pilots, see the AESA information note:

Web note training organisations v2

To understand the levels of training and their competences, EASA has structured them into a training pyramid, which can be seen together with the training skills in the following EASA information note:

Web note — UAS v3 Remote Pilot Training Skills

 

Open category

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In the following document you can see in detail the training required and the training scheme defined for the open category:

Training scheme A1-A3 and A2 v2

The following is detailed for the different subcategories of operations within the open category, who carries out the required training and examinations in each case:

1. Subcategory A1

a) For UAS operations with Class C1 marking, the required training and examination will be conducted through AESA, which will issue the "Online Training Exemption Test" after passing the examination.

b) For operations with UAS other than Class C1, training is not regulated, it consists only of familiarisation with the instructions provided by the UAS manufacturer.

2. Subcategory A2

a) Theoretical training is not regulated, being able to do it by himself the pilot student or with the help of a training entity. 
b) The self-training of practical skills should be carried out following the indications shown in the following Guide on competences for the self-training of practical skills in A2 (AMC2 UAS.OPEN.030(2)(b)) V2
c) Additionally, it is necessary to pass a theoretical knowledge examination carried out by AESA, which will issue after passing the “Certificate of Remote Pilot Competence”. The subjects on which the exam will be based can be seen on the syllabus shown in the following link: Syllabus A2 v1

3. Subcategory A3

The required training and examination will be carried out by EASA, which will issue after passing the exam the “Online training pass test” (same pass test as for subcategory A1).

Specific category — Theoretical training in national standard scenarios (STS-ES)

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It is necessary to pass an additional theoretical knowledge examination carried out by AESA, which will issue after passing it the “Certificate of Remote Pilot theoretical knowledge” for STS-ES.

The theoretical training on which the EASA examination will be based is not regulated, either by the pilot student himself or with the help of a training institution.

The subjects on which the examination will be based can be seen in the syllabus shown at the following link:

Syllabus exam theoretical knowledge STS v1

 

Specific category — Practical training in national standard scenarios (STS-ES)

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Training and assessment of practical skills for remote pilots under national standard scenarios is provided through recognised entities and UAS operators declared to AESA. 

In the following guide, the requirements that must be met in order to give it are met: 

• Process of submission of declarations; 
• General requirements for the provision of practical training for remote pilots in STS-ES; 
• Documentary requirements; 
• Requirements of the UAS used in the training; 
• Practical skills training programme for remote pilots in national standard scenarios (STS-ES), including pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight planning; 
• Requirements of the representative flight area of the STS-ES; 
• Formats of the accreditation to be issued after the completion of the training and continuous evaluation, and the model of the progress book.

STS-ES Practical Skills Training and Assessment Requirements Guide

 

 

1. Entities recognised by EASA

Entities recognised by EASA intending to provide practical training of remote pilots in national standard scenarios, first to be recognised, must submit a declaration to EASA through the following link:

Link to the electronic site for filing a declaration as a recognised entity

The following guide indicates step by step how to correctly present the declaration as a recognised entity, as well as the student declaration.

Reporting Guide for Recognised Entities and UAS Operators Declared v6

 

From the moment the application is submitted through the electronic headquarters, the entity may begin to practice as recognised and provide training and assessment of practical skills for that national standard scenario. In cases where the request is not correct for any reason, it will be resolved with a resolution for non-compliance and a new request must be submitted.

In addition, recognised entities that use UAS from their possession to provide practical training, must register as UAS operators and include the operator number in all their UAS. All information related to the operator register is compiled in the web section Drone Operator Register/UAS

A List of Recognised Entities (periodic update).

Recognised entities that declare to provide hands-on training of remote pilots shall submit on a monthly basis the declaration of students who have passed the continuous assessment and thus have obtained the accreditation of practical skills for each national standard scenario, as appropriate. The sending of the student declaration will be made through the procedure by which they have been declared. You can expand the information by consulting point 2 of the Guide for the submission of declarations of recognised entities and declared UAS operators, which can be found above in this same section.

*Note: It is only necessary to send the student statement if you have issued an accreditation of practical skills in the last period of approximately one month.

2. UAS operators declared to provide practical training

UAS operators intending to provide hands-on training of remote pilots in national standard scenarios must first be registered as a UAS operator and submit to AESA an operational statement in the desired national standard scenario (STS-ES). Both procedures are carried out through the following link: 

Link to the electronic headquarters for filing as UAS Operator

The second necessary, will be to submit the declaration to AESA through the same procedure established for the recognised entities, from this link
The following guide indicates step by step how to correctly present the declaration as an operator of UAS, as well as the student declaration. 

Reporting Guide for Recognised Entities and UAS Operators Declared v6

Upon submission of the declaration, the declared UAS operator may begin training and assessment of practical skills for that national standard scenario. In cases where the request is not correct for any reason, it will be resolved with a resolution for non-compliance and a new request must be submitted. 

Similarly, UAS operators declared to provide hands-on training for remote pilots must submit a monthly statement of students who have passed the continuous assessment and thus have obtained the accreditation of practical skills for each national standard scenario, as appropriate. The sending of the student declaration will be made through the procedure by which they have been declared. You can expand the information by consulting point 2 of the Guide for the submission of declarations of recognised entities and operators of declared UAS which can be found above in this same section.

*Note: It is only necessary to send the student statement if you have issued an accreditation of practical skills in the last period of approximately one month.

Specific category — Authorisation scheme

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Since no entities have currently been designated to provide training on applications for authorisation, in accordance with point GM1 UAS.SPEC.050(1)(d)(iii), coordination between the UAS operator and these designated entities is not required. In this way, the entities recognised by AESA will be a possible way to receive the training indicated above. 

For these remote pilots, theoretical and practical training based on the requested concept of the operation (‘ConOps’) is required. 

The training that is necessary will be determined within the context of the request for operational authorisation, being necessary in any case to have the self-training in practical skills of subcategory A2, for which it is necessary to be in possession of the Test of passing of online training A1/A3. 
 
Guidance material has been developed for “pilot training in the ‘specific’ category under authorisation”, located in the web section of Operations with UAS/drones — Specific Category in the Operational Authorisation section, which details the operator of the UAS how to demonstrate the justification of the compliance of remote pilot training, together with the subjects of the formation of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, the recurrent training, registrations, in addition to the requirements of instructors and examiners.

In the following document you can see in detail the training required and the training scheme defined for the specific category under authorisation regime:

Specific category training scheme under authorisation scheme v2

To contact AESA regarding remote pilot training organisations UAS has been enabled an email:
formaciondrones.aesa@seguridadaerea.es