NRCC News

Drone pilot school course available at NRCC

Jan 15 2019

This is an archived article!

This article was published on Jan 15 2019 and was archived on Jan 01 2020. The information below may be outdated or inaccurate.

NRCC is offering a three-credit course in Remote Pilot Ground School for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS), more commonly referred to as drones, this spring. 

Robert “Bob” Harrison, a Virginia Tech graduate, former Marine, and retired Army major and pilot, will be teaching the course.  Harrison is a former military pilot as well as a former commercial airline pilot, who previously flew for American Eagle and Continental Airlines. Most recently, he has taught middle school science and math.

“UMS 107: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Remote Pilot Ground School” presents the aeronautical knowledge required for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved commercial operations as a Remote Pilot with small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) rating. The course covers the regulations applicable to small UAS operations, loading and performance, emergency procedures, crew resource management, determining the performance of the small unmanned aircraft and maintenance/inspection procedures. The course also prepares students for the FAA written examination required to obtain the Remote Pilot Certificate.

“This course helps people understand that you are part of something bigger and teaches you how to share the air space,” said Harrison.  Harrison explained that the FAA controls the airspace from the ground up, so drone operators who fly must learn the same information in terms of flying as commercial pilots regarding national air space and weather conditions.

The Remote Pilot Certification from the FAA is required for anyone who flies a drone that weighs more than .55 lbs. up to 55 lbs. and uses the drone for anything other than hobby/recreational flying.  Commercial and professional service drone pilot jobs are in demand and on the rise, ranging from photographers for real estate or insurance to farmers who use drones to check on livestock.

For more information about this course, contact rharrison@nr.edu or (540) 674-3600. To enroll online, visit www.nr.edu/admissions/register.php.