Training of examiners, instructors and evaluators for Designated Entities.

General information

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the rules and procedures for the use of unmanned aircraft entered into application on 31 December 2020. This regulation establishes in section d) iii) of UAS.SPEC.050 that those remote pilots who carry out operations with UAS under an operational authorization, must receive remote pilot training specific to the intended operations .

In Spain, Section 2 of Chapter IV of Royal Decree 517/2024 on the civilian use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) sets out the specific conditions that the Designated Entities must meet in order to carry out the training activity in the ‘specific’ category under an operational authorisation, including, in Articles 29 to 31, the minimum requirements to be met by instructors, examiners and assessors.

Therefore, all personnel designated as instructor, examiner and evaluator in a Designated Entity and wishing to provide training in the "specific" category under an operational authorization, must have a certificate of instructor, examiner and remote pilot evaluator and comply with the requirements established in Article 30 of Royal Decree 517/2024, which are detailed below.

Important: The Instructor, Examiner and Assessor certificates listed below are only valid for conducting "specific" category training under an operational authorisation and are not a valid requirement for conducting training in National Standard Scenarios (STS-ES) or European Standard Scenarios (STS).

Minimum requirements for access to the exam

Candidates to obtain the certificate as instructor, examiner and evaluator in a Designated Entity must meet minimum requirements prior to registration for the exam, and will be as follows;

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Accredit the training of practical skills of remote pilot, or pilot of any kind;
• Accredit previous experience or knowledge in the aeronautical sector , previous experience or knowledge in the aeronautical sector may be considered proven when the remote pilot can prove that he has and has been issued in his name any of the following qualifications;
  • Certificate of theoretical proficiency knowledge of remote pilots for UAS operations in standard scenarios (STS);
  • Military Remote Pilot License;
  • Any title or license, civil or military, of manned aviation pilot recognized in Spain of which the interested party is or has been the holder;
  •  License of air traffic controller, civil or military, or student air traffic controller, civil or military, in both cases recognized in Spain, which is or has been held by the interested party;
  • Official university degree in aeronautical engineering, aeronautical technical engineering, or aerospace engineering issued or recognized in Spain in accordance with Title VI of Organic Law 6/2001, of 21 December, on Universities, and its corresponding and development regulations.

In addition, all remote pilots who wish to take the practical exam must submit a proposal for an application from a Designated Entity in which the training in the "specific" category will be carried out under an operational authorization, and it must be signed by the responsible manager of the designated entity and attached to the application for access to the practical exam.

In the Means of Acceptable Compliance relating to the Instructor, Examiner and Assessor examination, you will find the cases in which the person concerned must have the Instructor, Examiner and Assessor certificate, as well as the type of training he/she must receive depending on the risk of the intended operations.

If any of the above requirements are not met, a negative decision will be issued on the application submitted and the file will be closed.

Theoretical training

Once the application for the instructor, examiner and assessor examination in a Designated Entity has been submitted, the remote pilot shall take a theoretical knowledge examination based on the Syllabus of the theoretical knowledge syllabus specific to the instructor, examiner and assessor . The training may be given on its own or through other training entities, provided that the established Syllabus is followed. Aesa does not provide the training or the curriculum developed, only access to the examination of theoretical knowledge.

The registration to access the exam will be made exclusively through the Virtual Office of the Electronic Headquarters of AESA. Access to the exam is limited to a period of 30 business days, which begins from the time the registration notice providing exam access is sent, as applicable.

If after the period of 30 working days no exam attempt is made or if you have not satisfactorily passed the exam, the request will be considered resolved, by withdrawal or refusal, and consequently you will have to make a new registration to regain access.

In order to obtain the theoretical certificate of instructor, examiner and evaluator, the exam must be passed with at least 75% of the total score of the exam, comprising the exam of 40 questions with a duration of 40 minutes to complete the test.

The online pass test has telemonitoring technology, which will require access to Webcam, microphone and screen. If irregularities are detected during the test, delays in the resolution of the examination may occur due to the need for further review . In case of irregularities, the negative decision of the examination will be issued, even if it has been passed by 75%.

• Link to the procedure
• Examination Registration Guide Ed.01

In the event that the exam is not satisfactorily passed and a grade of Not Suitable is obtained, the remote pilot will receive a negative resolution and must re-register to be able to access the exam again.

Upon successful completion of the examination, the State Aviation Safety Agency shall issue to instructors, examiners and remote pilot assessors a certificate in their name in electronic format, which shall be valid for five years from the date of successful completion of the assessment examination.

IMPORTANT*

Once the request has been submitted, and if everything is correct, the user will receive an email at the address provided stating that a notification is available that he can open through;

• Appears; Accessing the following Link
• Citizen Folder; Accessing the following Link
• DEHú; Accessing the following Link

Practical training

Once the theoretical knowledge test has been passed and, depending on the level of risk of the operations in which training is intended, those instructors, examiners and assessors who intend to provide training in those operations that, according to the SORA risk assessment methodology, present an intrinsic land risk of the operation equal to or greater than 5 (iGRC ≥ 5) must carry out and pass the practical examination at AESA.

The exam will consist of different assessments and practical knowledge tests and will be based on the content of the Instructor, Examiner and Evaluator practical exam Syllabus, as well as in the execution of normal, contingency and emergency procedures.. For this purpose, specific examinations have been established according to the type and size of aircraft intended to be trained in a designated entity, with the following modules being established:

Those interested in taking the practical test shall be nominated as a candidate by a designated entity and the practical test shall be conducted on the aircraft on which the designated entity intends to conduct the "specific" category distance pilot training under an operational authorisation.

• Link to the procedure
• Examination Registration Guide Ed.01

Contact AESA UAS Division:

In case of doubt or special situations related to the training of instructor, examiner and evaluator you can direct your query to the drone mailbox (formaciondrones.aesa@seguridadaerea.es).