Training in Radiophonist UAS

General information

In Spain, Royal Decree 517/2024 of 4 June, which develops the legal regime for the civil use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), in Section 1 of Chapter V on the use of airspace and geographical areas UAS, develops the minimum requirements to be collected to obtain the qualification of UAS Radiophonist.

Additionally, based on Article 43 of Royal Decree 517/2024, ATS providers and aerodrome and heliport managers may require a communications system between the control station and the air traffic unit. When the use of the air band is required, pilots must have a certificate of theoretical and practical training as a radio operator, and accredit an adequate knowledge of the language(s) used in aeronautical communications in compliance with Article 34.b of Royal Decree 517/2024.

Validity of Radiophonist Certificates Royal Decree 1036/2017

Radiophonist certificates issued by an approved training organisation (ATO) or ultralights school in accordance with Article 33(1)(e) of Royal Decree 1036/2017 of 15 December 2017 shall remain valid to demonstrate the relative requirement of having the knowledge and skills to use the air band (aeronautical mobile service) to establish aeronautical communications for two years from the entry into force of Royal Decree 517/2024, i.e. until 25 June 2026.

Alternative means for the justification of the Radiophonist qualification.

Valid alternative means to justify the qualification as a radio operator required in Article 34 of Royal Decree 517/2024 shall be considered as valid alternative means when at least one of the following requirements is met:

• Be certificated by a rating endorsed on an active manned aviation pilot licence issued in accordance with the regulations in force.
• Hold an active air traffic controller licence issued in accordance with the regulations in force.

All information concerning alternative means for the justification of the UAS radio operator qualification is available in section 3 of the document “Acceptable Means of Compliance relating to radio operator qualification”.

UAS Radiophonist Theoretical Certificate

All UAS pilots who wish to have the UAS Radiophonist certificate, in accordance with the provisions of article 34 a) of Royal Decree 517/2024, must complete an Online training taught by AESA, as well as perform an online pass test also provided by AESA. The registration, training and examination procedure shall be free of charge. 

The registration to access the exam will be made exclusively through the Virtual Office of the Electronic Headquarters of AESA. Access to the training course and exams is limited to a period of 30 working days, starting from the moment the registration notice providing access to the course and exam is sent.

• Access to the procedure
• Guide for registration to the UAS Radiophonist training.
   

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 knowledge of UAS Radiophonist, the exam must be passed with at least 75% of the correct answers, making up the exam of 40 questions with a duration of 40 minutes to complete the test.

The online pass test to obtain the theoretical certificate of UAS Radiophonist has telemonitoring technology, in which it will be necessary to have 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%. 

In the event that the 2 exam attempts are exhausted and he obtains a rating of Not Suitable, the remote pilot will receive a negative resolution and must re-register again to get two new attempts and pass the exam.

Once the test has been passed, it will not be necessary to perform any additional procedure with AESA, who will provide a notice in the email in which you have registered. 

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; 

• Comparece; Accessing the following Link
• Carpeta Ciudadana; Accessing the following Link
• DEHú; Accessing the following Link

The validity of the theoretical training certificate as a UAS Radiophonist issued by AESA will be valid indefinitely.

Practical certificate of Radiophonist UAS

Once the theoretical knowledge test described in the previous point has been passed, the training must be completed with the obtaining of a certificate of practical training as a UAS Radiophonist, which must be issued by an examiner authorized by the State Aviation Safety Agency, after demonstrating his competence in aeronautical communications. 

The validity of the UAS Radiophonist practical training certificate shall be valid for two years from the time of its issue.

Requirements for examiners authorised by AESA to provide practical training of UAS Radiophonist

Examiners authorised by the State Aviation Safety Agency to carry out practical training as a radiophonist shall comply with the requirements set out in the Acceptable Means of Compliance on the Radiophonist’s practical training certificate, as well as with the requirements set out below;

Flight examiners FE, TRE, CRE, IRE and SFE of Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 provided that they meet the following conditions:

• They have their examiner certificate in force and it has been in force for at least the last 3 years. 
• have performed in the last 3 years at least 6 skill tests, proficiency checks, proficiency assessments according to Part-FCL of Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 or the EBT assessment phases during an EBT module referred to in point ORO.FC.231 of Annex III (Part-ORO) to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012. Compliance with this recent experience requirement shall be declared by the examiner on the radiotelephony test form.

Flight examiners FE(S) of Regulation (EU) No 2018/1976 provided that they meet the following conditions:

• They have their examiner certificate in force and it has been in force for at least the last 3 years. 
• have carried out in the last 3 years at least 6 skill tests, proficiency checks or assessments of competence according to Part SFCL of Regulation (EU) No 2018/1976. Compliance with this recent experience requirement shall be declared by the examiner on the radiotelephony test form.

Flight examiners FE(B) of Regulation (EU) No 2018/395 provided that they meet the following conditions:

• They have their examiner certificate in force and it has been in force for at least the last 3 years.
• have carried out in the last 3 years at least 6 skill tests, proficiency checks or assessments of competence in accordance with Part BFCL of Regulation (EU) 2018/395. Compliance with this recent experience requirement shall be declared by the examiner on the radiotelephony test form.
   

Below are the lists of Examiners authorised by AESA to provide practical training for UAS Radiophonist;

• Link to the public list FE and IRE of airplane.
• Link to the public list FE and IRE helicopter.
• Link to the public list TRE airplane.
• Link to the public listing CRE airplane..
• Link to public listing SFE aircraft.
• Link to the public list TRE helicopter.
• Link to the public listing SFE helicopter.
• Link to the public list FE planner.
• Link to the public list FE Globo.
   

Contact AESA UAS Division:

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