Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authorities (CASA) initiative ten years ago to legislate regulations and a pathway for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) commercialization in Australia has resulted in the world’s first aviation authority approved Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) pilot training program.

Brisbane based V-TOL Aerospace Pty Ltd, has gained that coveted approval from CASA and will deliver its programs under the Australian Unmanned Systems Academy (AUSA) brand at Marburg, near RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.

The full time two-week training program involves both theory and practical flying instruction which if students are successful, secures them a CASA issued ‘Remote Pilot’s Certificate’ allowing them to be employed as pilots in the commercial UAV industry.
V-TOL Director, Kelvin Hutchinson confirmed that the first training program will be held later in May and that interest in the program is very encouraging in Australia and overseas.

“Its taken four years in close collaboration with CASA to achieve this major milestone in Australia”. “We have significant interest from course applicants as well as major aviation interests overseas that want to establish similar programs” said Mr Hutchinson.

Click here to visit the AUS Academy website

Senior students from Maryborough State High School recently visted V-TOL’s Marburg Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS/UAV) Flight Training facility.  The aim of the visit was to introduce the students to RPAS technology, show them how RPAS pilots are being trained in the civilian sector and the applications RPAS technology is and will be used for.

V-TOL is committed to collaborative & applied R&D. Working with our project partners, V-TOL’s R&D primarily focuses on taking new Australian ideas and innovative technologies from the lab to the Nation’s ‘core’ economic industries. V-TOL’s aim is to establish a sustainable supply chain of clever products & services that are cost-effective, can value-add to Australia’s GDP & can be exported to the rapidly emerging global market opportunity.