KUCHING: Petrosar Academy has ventured into a strategic partnership with a local-based commercial drone training provider HDU Academy Sdn Bhd, to capitalise on the full potential of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and unmanned aircraft system (UAS).
With the partnership inked yesterday at Fame International College, the academy offers Drone Operators License Training Course up to most advanced multi-spectral mission planning and execution and provides training for commercial autonomous (UAV/UAS) pilots and operators.
Its academy flight examiner, Alasdiar Garrick said the academy has been accredited and approved by Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) as the only academy in Sarawak that can conduct ground training, flight assessment, issuing Drone Operator License and conduct recurrent assessment in Sarawak, including strict vetting of training syllabus by CAAM.
“We conduct training and flying with complete theoretical and practical training in accordance with International Standards and Regulatory Compliance.
“With two fixed ground school in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur that incorporate a Virtual Environment, HDU is poised to provide cutting edge technology and management know-how to the next generation UAV operator and pilot personnel,” he told this to reporters during the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony.
He pointed out that each ground school facilities include an operations control centre, specific training area, virtual arena and real and virtual technological labs.
“HDU’s syllabus has undergone strict CAAM vetting and HDU is approved to issue Drone Operator License upon the student satisfying the examinations and drone pilot requirements.
“Upon passing the student will be issued a license to fly and endorsed by CAAM and be able to get an insurance to cover the pilot against third party liabilities. Our insurance will insure licensed pilots only,” he added.
Alasdair also noted like any pilot, the student must achieved satisfactory number of flight hours to be verified by both the academy Chief Instructor and CAAM officials each year to ensure stay current.
“A licensed pilot will be able to apply for flight permits to CAAM for the period. Under CAAM the illegal flights can be fined up to RM50,000 for individuals and RM100,000 for corporations or three years imprisonment or both.
“The skills and mindset required for adapting autonomous systems into daily lives is disruptive towards the existing status quo, by conducting this training that HDU proposed,” he said.
He added trainees will be certified as skilled and are ready in adapting these technologies. The first part of these training will involve Unmanned Aerial Systems training known as the Drone Operator License Training that involves distinct modules which will be conducted consecutively for four days as an integrated ground and flight training.
At the end of this training, the candidates will be tested by the Certified Examiners. On the passing of this test HDU shall award the candidates the Certificate of Completion and Drone Operator License, Class 1, sub 20kg which is approved and endorsed by CAAM.
The academy was established several months ago by a group of Sarawakian autonomous light pioneers with vast experience in the aviation and aerospace industry.
They can be located at Brighthon Square at Jalan Song, with a basic fee of RM5,500 and above in order to have a certified Drone Operator License.
