The UAB is Catalonia's first university to offer a drone piloting course

The UAB, through its School of Prevention and Integral Safety and Security (EPSI), is the first university in Catalonia to offer a specialised course in drone pilot training. This combined training course began in February and continue until May, with 16 public and private security professionals currently enrolled.

14/02/2018

Students will be required to participate in a flight simulation session in which they will put into practice what they have learned and pass a flight test.

The UAB School of Prevention and Integral Safety and Security inaugurated the first edition of the Security and Emergency Drone Pilot and Operator course on 9 February. This is the first of its knind in Catalonia and one of the first specialisation training courses in this sector in all of Spain.

The course allows students to obtain a Drone Pilot and Operator Certificate by the Spanish State Arial Agency (AESA), the only body to be able to issue certificates. In addition, the course offers specialisation skills to professionals of the public and private security sector and emergency staff. Students will earn their accreditation as pilots of remote controlled aircrafts weighing 0-25 kg., which covers almost 80% of the drones sold today.

The course offers combined training and the first edition began on 9 February and will end at the beginning of May. The total training hours are 128, with 28 hours being dedicated to both indoor and outdoor flying practices, and the rest being a combination of online training and lectures at university.

After a flight simulation class on 23 March at the UAB's Physical Activities Service (SAF), students will be asked to put into practice what they have learned and pass a flight exam.

A Solid Investment for the Future
The industry is investing strongly into drones due to the multiple uses of these remote controlled aircrafts. Sectors such as farming, transport of goods, industry, cinema, photography and security already make use of the various benefits offered by these machines.

In safety and prevention, some police services are planning to create special units with professionals capable of piloting camera drones.

The first session, which took place on Friday 9 February, included a presentation by the coordinator of Continuous Learning at EPSI Josep Manel López Rodríguez, as well as a theoretical class with the director of the Air Drone Pilots School David Garcia Cabré. EPSI Director Montserrat Iglesias-Lucía also attended the first session of the course.