European Standard Stages (STS) Training Entities

General Information

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on rules and procedures for the use of unmanned aircraft entered into force on 31 December 2020. This Regulation establishes in Appendix A the type of format stipulated for the remote UAS pilot to obtain the theoretical knowledge of the remote pilot and the examination of practical skills for the European Standard Scenarios (STS). 

In addition, Appendix 3 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 sets out the requirements applicable to entities recognised by EASA and UAS Operators declared to EASA carrying out training and assessment of practical remote pilot skills for European Standard Scenarios (TSS) operations.

The European Standard Scenarios (STS) are valid for carrying out operations within the territory and airspace of the European Union for the use of unmanned aircraft to which Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 applies, therefore they will not be valid in third countries.

All UAS Training Entities and Operators who wish to provide remote pilot training in European Standard Scenarios (STS) are reminded that the process is declarative, ensuring that all applicable provisions of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 are complied with, including the requirements applicable to STS operations, as well as the UAS requirements with their corresponding class marking.

Declaration of Recognised Entities and UAS Operators

All Recognised Entities and UAS operators intending to provide practical remote pilot training in European Standard Scenarios (STS). They must first be recognized for this, being necessary to submit a declaration to AESA through the following link. 

You have at your disposal the following guide that indicates step by step how to correctly submit the declaration as a UAS operator, as well as the student declaration. 

Guidance for the submission of a declaration for recognised entities and operators declared to AESA in European Standard Scenarios (STS)

All those Recognized Entities and UAS Operators declared to AESA to provide the practical remote pilot training in STS must have aircraft designed to carry out the practical training that comply with the UAS requirements set out below.

• Practical training in standard scenario STS-01:
   
  • UAS having a Class C5 marking, or
  • Class C3 UAS fitted with an accessory kit that converts the Class C3 UAS into a Class C5 UAS. In this case, the Class C5 label shall be affixed to all accessories.
    
    Information on the conversion of aircraft with Class C2 marking to Class C5 marking can be found in the following note
     
    • Information on C2 to C5 conversion kits
• Practical training in standard scenario STS-02:
   
  • UAS with Class C6 marking.

From the moment the declaration is submitted through a general application and with the receipt of submission, it may begin to exercise as a Recognised Entity or as a Declared UAS Operator and provide training and evaluation of practical skills for the corresponding European Standard Scenario (STS) in which it has been declared. In cases where the request is not correct for any reason, it will be resolved with a decision for non-compliance and a new application must be submitted.

Additionally, those recognized entities that use UAS of their possession to provide practical training, must register as UAS operators and include the operator number on all their aircraft. All the information regarding the registration of operators is compiled in the web section Register of drone/UAS operator

UAS operators intending to provide practical remote pilot training in standard scenarios (STS) must be registered as a UAS operator and submit an operational declaration in the desired standard scenario (STS) to AESA in advance. Both procedures are carried out through the following link.

The list of recognised entities declared to provide practical training in European Standard Scenarios (STS) is provided below. (Regular updating)

Documentary Records

Student statement:

Recognised entities and UAS Operators conducting practical training activities in either of the two standard training scenarios (STS) shall submit on a monthly basis la declaration of pupils who have passed continuous assessment, and thus have obtained practical skills accreditation for each standard scenario, as appropriate. The procedure is carried out through the electronic office, in which the following data must be provided;

• Name and surname of pupil.
• NIE/NIF/PASAPORT identification details.
• Scenario to be declared (STS-01 or STS-02)
• Date of delivery of accreditation.
• Personal coding of the accreditation provided by the UAS entity or operator.

Section 3 of the Guide on the submission of declarations of recognised entities and declared operators, available in the previous sections, shows in detail the procedure for the declaration of students valid for both declared UAS Operators and EASA Recognised Entities to provide practical training in standard scenarios (STS).

Instruction Manual for UAS Entities and Operators:

Recognised entities and UAS Operators conducting practical training activities in either of the two standard scenarios (STS) shall have an instructional Annex to their Operations Manual or a separate Instructional Manual specifying all aspects required in point 11) of Appendix 3 to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.

To assist Recognised Entities and declared UAS Operators in the development of the document, a Guidance Material for the development of the Instruction Manual has been developed, where the essential aspects required in the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 are included, so that stakeholders can adapt the content of the document to their own Instruction Manual for their practical training in standard scenarios (STS).

• Standard Scenario Training Manual (STS) _Ed.01

NOTE*: Recognised Entities or declared UAS Operators undertaking training under the conditions of conversion from national standard scenarios (STS-ES) to European standard scenarios (STS) shall have an Instruction Manual adapted to the requirements set out in the Conversion Guide, including the conversion-specific accreditation model or assessment reports containing the conversion-specific manoeuvres, among others.

Theoretical training in European Standard Scenarios (STS)

The necessary training that accredits the UAS pilot to carry out operations in European Standard Scenarios (STS) consists of two parts, theoretical training and training based on a continuous assessment of practical skills of remote pilots.

In the case of theoretical distance pilot training in the “specific” category, it will be valid for both the National Standard Scenarios (STS-ES) and the European Standard Scenarios (STS) since the syllabus and the content of the theoretical knowledge examination of the “Specific” category has already been adapted to be valid for both scenarios.

The subjects corresponding to this level are indicated in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, and a more detailed version to serve as a study guide is available at this link: Topical examination of theoretical knowledge STS v2

Theoretical training for standard scenarios can be provided by a training entity, a UAS operator, or on its own account, always following the syllabus agenda contained in the published syllabus. It is recalled that it is for EASA only to evaluate the theoretical knowledge of remote pilots and to issue the corresponding certificate.

Practical training in European Standard Scenarios (STS)

The continuous training and evaluation of practical skills of the European Standard Scenarios (STS) must be delivered through a Recognised Entity or a UAS Operator declared to EASA.

In order to facilitate these declared UAS Entities and Operators to carry out proper training in accordance with the Resolution of European Standard Scenarios, the Guide on the requirements for providing training and assessment of practical skills in STS has been provided. It will be possible to find the following aspects:

• General requirements for training
• Documentary requirements
• Requirements for UAS used in training
• Remote pilot practical skills training programme in European Standard Scenarios (STS), including pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight planning;
• Requirements for the STS representative flight area;
• Type of accreditation to be issued after completion of training and continuous evaluation.

UAS requirements for practical training in standard STS scenarios.

In accordance with point 1(f) of UAS.STS-01.020 and point 8 (a) of UAS.STS-02.020 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 in relation to the operating requirements of European Standard Scenarios, it is essential to have a Class C5 UAS, or a Class C3 UAS that carries an accessory kit that converts the Class C3 UAS into a Class C5 UAS to perform all those operations covered by STS-01, as well as Class C6 marking UAS for all operations carried out in STS-02.

In this way, compliance with what is declared in Appendix 6 and Appendix 4 to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 respectively is an indispensable requirement for all Recognised Entities and UAS Operators declared to provide practical training, the requirement of which is based on compliance with the provisions applicable to STS-0X operations.

Direct Distance Identification System Requirement (“DRI”)

From 1 January 2024, it will be an essential requirement that UAS intended to perform “specific” Category Training operations under any of the standard scenarios (STS) have a Direct Distance Identification System (“DRI”), a requirement for UAS C5 and C6.

It will be recommended that the declared Training Entities and UAS Operators indicate and show the student, within their training activities, the operation and methodology of using the Direct Distance Identification System (“DRI”) to ensure that the future remote pilot knows the application, installation and operation of said device. You have all the information in the section of Distance identification system and class markings.

Contact AESA UAS Division:

In case of doubt or special situations related to the ‘specific’ category training, you can direct your inquiry to the drone mailbox (formaciondrones.aesa@seguridadaerea.es).