UAS/dron remote pilot training
Training of UAS/dron pilots in ‘open’ category
- Training and examination subcategories A1/A3
- Subcategory A2 examination:
- Operate in ‘open’ category, subcategory A1, with UAS:
- Of private construction with MTOM less than 250g and a speed of less than 19 m/s; O
- With a maximum take-off mass of less than 250g without identification label and placed on the market before 1 January 2024; O
- They have a Class C0 identification label.
- Operate in ‘open’ category, subcategory A1, with a class C1 UAS; or in subcategory A3 with UAS having a identification label class C2, C3, C4 or privately constructed UAS with MTOM up to 25 kg.
In these cases, the training required for remote pilots will be, in addition to being familiar with the user manual, completing an online training provided by AESA followed by an equally online examination given by AESA. The agenda under discussion consists of 9 different subjects, resulting in 40 questions with a duration of 40 minutes.To obtain the “Online training pass test” certificate, you must pass the exam with at least 75 % of the correct answers and will appear at the end of any attempt as Apto. Once the test is passed, no action is required. When the certificate has been issued, the user will receive a notice in the email in which he/she has registered. The certificate is valid for 5 years and the renewal process must be initiated with EASA prior to the expiry date.
In the event that the 2 test attempts are exhausted and an unfit qualification is obtained, the remote pilot will receive a negative resolution and must re-register in order to get two new attempts and pass the test. - Operate in ‘open’ category, subcategory A2 with Class C2 identification label UAS.
IMPORTANT: non-regulated training courses, i.e. all with the exception of subcategories A1/A3 (free online training and examination provided by EASA), are neither official nor accredited by EASA or any other public body, whether Spanish or European. It is important to note that, if this were to be advertised, it would be erroneous and false information that could lead to confusion among students, undermining the legitimacy of European legislation, giving them powers that do not correspond to them. For more information, please refer to the following note:
The ‘open’ category covers transactions with UAS that involve a low risk and do not require authorisation or declaration. In ‘open’ category the UAS operator must register at the AESA website provided that the UAS with which it operates has a maximum take-off mass (MTOM) exceeding 250 g, transfers power in case of impact greater than 80J or is equipped with a personal data capture sensor such as camera or microphone. (UAS operator registration section)
Once registered, the operator must enter the registration number provided in the UAS with which it operates.
The ‘open’ category in turn is divided into three subcategories: A1, A2 and A3. The necessary UAS remote pilot training will depend on the aircraft used and the subcategory in which it is operated. This training and the corresponding exams are carried out through the AESA-enabled web-training platform, after registering in the electronic headquarters through the following links:
Access to the training and examination course is limited to a period of 30 working days, starting from the moment the registration notification is sent that gives access to the course or exam, as appropriate. If after the period of 30 working days no attempt of examination is made or if you have not satisfactorily passed the exam, the application will be resolved, by withdrawal or refusal, and consequently you will have to make a new registration to have access again.
The different cases to operate in the three ‘open’ category subcategories are:
In this case, the remote pilot must have successfully passed case 2 and submit to AESA a statement that a self-training of practical skills has been completed during his/her registration for the exam. This self-training of practical skills must be carried out in an area where no non-participant person is endangered and at a minimum horizontal distance of 150 meters from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.
When performing the self-training of practical skills, the remote pilot must take as many flights as he deems necessary to acquire a reasonable level of knowledge and skills to operate the UAS. For more details on the practical skills to be acquired by the remote pilot, please consult the following guide:
Competency Guide for the Self-Training of Practical Skills in A2 (AMC2 UAS.OPEN.030(2)(b)) V2
The remote pilot must properly complete and sign the model of self-training of practical skills once he/she considers that he/she possesses the necessary skills to operate in A2 with the safety that this requires. The model in question is as follows::
Self-training statement practical skills A2 v3
**NOTE: The remote pilot identification number to be indicated in the declaration is that obtained in the Online Training Completion Test (A1/A3): ESP-RP-0000000XXXXX.
In order to obtain the certificate of remote pilot competence, the pilot must complete his/her self-practice declaration during the registration procedure for the examination of subcategory A2. The exam given by AESA has telemonitoring technology (camera access, microphone and screen), consists of 30 test-type questions and a maximum time limit of 30 minutes. The three new subjects to be examined are included in the syllabus published for subcategory A2:
Additional subjects for the examination of theoretical knowledge of subcategory A2 v2
As in case 2, the remote pilot will have 2 attempts to overcome it, and must obtain at least 75 % of the correct answers. Once the test is passed, no action is required. When the certificate has been issued, the user will receive a notice in the email in which he/she has registered. The certificate is valid for 5 years and the renewal process must be initiated with EASA prior to the expiry date.
In case of non-fit, follow as indicated in case 2, and the remote pilot must re-register in order to obtain two further examination attempts.
In cases where the remote pilot is in possession of a certificate of remote pilot theoretical knowledge (STS), he may apply for the certificate of remote pilot competence (A2) by making an application as indicated in point 2 of the Subcategory A2 v6 Exam Enrollment Guide.
For more information on the detailed training scheme for open category, please refer to this link:
Training scheme A1-A3 and A2 V4
To contact AESA regarding the ‘open’ category training, an email for pilots has been enabled:
