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First training school for commercial drone pilots takes off in North Shields

The north of England now boasts a training school for commercial drone pilots, thanks to North Shields company Heliguy.

A UK retailer of radio controlled drones, Heliguy has also revealed that it will launch courses in Manchester and Reading in February.

Since April 2015 the firm has been hosting courses by other organisations although now gaining National Qualified Entity Status, from the Civil Aviation Authority, Heliguy has authorisation to train pilots who want to fly drones for business use.

Offering a one stop shop for drone pilots with sales, support, service and training all under one roof, the company can allow up to 16 students to train at any one time.

How it works

Heliguy’s Training Manager, Dan Wilson, says it’s illegal for anyone who isn’t qualified to CAA standards to use a drone for financial gain or, as the CAA puts it, for a “valuable consideration”.

Pilots need to know about many aspects of general aviation even though their feet will never leave the ground. Drones have to be integrated safely into UK airspace and pilots have to adhere to strict safety rules. The course syllabus includes air law, meteorology, aviation charts, aircraft technology, airmanship and human factors.

After completing a three and a half day course, candidates are tested on their ground school theory. If they pass they have to undergo a practical test of their flight planning and flying skills. Any business that wants to use drones for financial gain must obtain a Permission For Aerial Work (PFAW) from the CAA.

Dan said: “Unmanned aerial vehicles have to fit into crowded UK Airspace even if they’re flying just a few feet above the ground. That means they have to comply with the rules of the air.

“They certainly can’t fly any higher than 400 feet or further than 500 metres from the pilot. There are also strict rules about how close you can fly to buildings, vehicles and people.

“We teach you everything you need to know to be a confident, safe and legal commercial drone pilot.”