Training of UAS/drones pilots in ‘specific’ category upon application for operational authorisation

Who is it addressed to?

This section is intended for pilots who wish to carry out operations in the ‘specific’ category upon application for an operational authorisation. These remote pilots require theoretical and practical training based on the concept of operation (‘ConOps’) requested.

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 .

This training must be included in the operator's operations manual, approved by the operational authorization and must be provided in cooperation between the UAS operator that provides the operational authorization and a Designated Entity declared to EASA. For this reason, remote pilots must comply with the requirements established in the operational risk assessment granted to the UAS operator.

Minimum requirements for remote pilot training

Those remote pilots who wish to carry out operations under an operational authorization, must previously be in possession of the following training;

• Online training pass test A1/A3 . 
•  self-training in practical skills in subcategory A2.

‘Specific’ category training under operational authorisation

Once the pilot has the minimum previous training described in the previous point, additional necessary training must be received that certifies the UAS pilot to be carried out in the "specific" category subject to an operational authorization from the UAS operator. This training is set out in the Training Guide under authorisation, and is divided into three sections;

Generic theoretical training as described in Annex I:

Irrespective of the operations described in the concept of operation approved in the operational authorisation of the UAS Operator, remote pilots shall have generic theoretical training for all operations falling under the ‘specific’ category under the operational authorisation.

The Syllabus of generic theoretical training in the ‘specific’ category under operational authorisation is described in Annex I of the Training Guide under authorisation and must be incorporated in the UAS Operator Operations Manual.

Generic practical training as described in Annex II:

In addition to generic theoretical training, the remote pilot must have generic practical training for all operations falling under the ‘specific’ category under operational authorisation.

The Syllabus of generic practical training in the ‘specific’ category under operational authorisation is described in Annex II of the Training Guide under authorisation and must be incorporated in the UAS Operator Operations Manual.

Training according to the concept of operation described in Annex III:

Depending on the concept of operation described in the operational authorisation, the remote pilot shall receive specific training in addition to the concept of operation approved in the operational authorisation. For this, Annex III of the same Training Guide must be taken into account under authorization.

The concepts of operation included in this annex are:

• Nightoperations;
• Overflight (flight over known populated areas or over people gatherings);
• BVLOSoperations;
• Low-altitudeoperations (less than 500 feet);
• Flights in non-segregated airspace;
• Carriage and/or cargo depot;
• Transport of dangerous goods;
• Operations with multiple UAS and swarms;
• Launch and recovery of the AU using special equipment;
• Flight over mountainous terrain.
• Operations with a high degree of automation.
• Operations at more than 120m AGL height.
• Operations with UAS with non-electric power plant. 
• Operations in controlled airspace and FIZ.
• Operations in the environment of aerodromes, airports and heliports.
• Operations involving spreading or dropping substances or materials.

Validity of training

In cases where the remote pilot has previously obtained the generic theoretical and practical training of Annex I and Annex II in a prior operational authorisation, only the specific training of the new modules referred to in Annex III that they apply to the new operational authorisation under which they wish to operate must be taken into account.

Therefore, it will not be necessary for the remote pilot to re-receive the training he has previously received from a designated entity.

Responsibility for the provision of training.

The training described in this section must be provided by the UAS Operator in cooperation with a Designated Entity , and the separation of the responsibilities for providing the training Syllabus that will fall on each figure must be described in the Operations Manual.

Training responsibility of the UAS Operator;

The UAS operator shall provide remote pilots with training in;

• Its normal, contingency and emergency procedures,as defined in its Operations Manual and the corresponding ConOps Annexes;
• The Emergency Response Plan (ERP) that you have defined in your Operations Manual;
• The specific UAS used by the operator.

Training responsibility of the Designated Entity;

The Designated Entity with which the UAS Operator decides to cooperate must provide remote pilots with training as defined in its Instruction Manual covering the syllabus of Annexes I, II and III of the Training Guide under authorization, required by the operator.

The remote pilot must pass the examination of theoretical knowledge in Annex I and Annex III prior to any assessment of practical skills, and the Designated Entity must provide him, within 15 days of completion of the training, with a certificate of theoretical knowledge and subsequent accreditation of practical knowledge describing the details of identification of the remote pilot, the identification number of the remote pilot, the type of operation in which he has been trained, the date of issue and the identification and signature of the person in charge of the entity that has issued it.

The Designated Entity must establish the training, examination and evaluation procedures, including the training program that covers the competencies of the training requirements of each pilot according to the concept of operation in which it is formed.

Practical training should be carried out, whenever possible, by means of a flight simulation based on the Concept of Operation intended. Where simulation as part of practical training is not possible, such training shall be carried out under the operational authorisation granted to the UAS operator.

A training scheme for the ‘specific’ category has been developed under an operational authorisation in order to provide the information provided;

• Formation Scheme Authorization Ed.04

Contact AESA UAS Division:

In case of doubt or special situations related to the "specific" category training under an operational authorisation, you can address your query to the drone mailbox (formaciondrones.aesa@seguridadaerea.es).