UK Drone Training - NATS RPAS Course

[Davester70]

Hi all,

I've just completed the NATS RPAS course in the UK, and thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts on it, in case others are considering taking some formal steps towards gaining permissions from the CAA for commercial operations.

I decided I wanted to do a formal course a couple of months ago, to be able to use my drone commercially. An internet search revealed quite a few companies that run such courses, but I also found a link to the NATS course. The three day course was at the slightly more expensive end of costs, since I saw some courses advertised for around about £900, and the NATS course is £1,200 including VAT. In the end I decided to go with NATS - since they run air traffic control in the UK, I figured they’d be best placed to talk about the challenges of operating a drone commercially.

The three day course agenda covered (amongst other things):

• RPAS Regulators
• Law
• Insurance
• Meteorlogical elements
• Navigation
• FPV
• Human factors
• Practical Operations
• Ops Manual
• Pre/Post flight checklists

Clearly I have no other course to compare it against, but I felt it answered all of my questions on drone operations, and met all of my training expectations. It was a very good experience working with enthusiastic aviation professionals, who also fly drones in their spare time. Being able to ask a 35 year air traffic control veteran all of my course and drone-related questions, and discuss them at length, was hugely beneficial to increasing my knowledge.

The course was very helpful not just from the formal structure aspect - being able to chat about Lipoly battery safety/reliability and useful drone apps was also beneficial. As for the practical flight test, it was a real eye opener being able to test fly a Phantom 2, before using my Mavic for the flight test. If you cut your teeth on the P2, I doff my cap to you!

So, if you’re in the UK and thinking about doing some commercial work with your drone, I can wholeheartedly recommend the NATS course. Great guys, who’re very friendly and approachable, and who really know what their talking about. They’re very focussed on the safety aspect of being a drone pilot, and the training course really reflects this.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. Happy flying!

 

[Blackwood57]

I see in 2018 you'll have to pass a test to fly a drone over 250g in the UK, so private fliers will need to pay for training too. UK drone users to sit safety tests

 

[Haloweenhamster]

Slightly different the test they are bringing out will be a safety test, you won't have the same restrictions and requirements afterwards and won't be able to do commercial work

 

[Davester70]

I suspect it's a (very) small minority of drone enthusiasts doing the irresponsible flying, but the rest of us get tarred with the same brush. If it deals with the reckless few, it's a good thing. But will they just carry on regardless, willfully circumventing any software/geo-fencing restrictions put in place?

 

[Blackwood57]

One thing for sure we'll have to pay for the test.

 

[Haloweenhamster]

They said the cost of registration and the test will be at cost of setting it up, they won't loose or make money off it which means it'll be an extortionate amount because the government like spending millions on any project