Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is establishing an academy to train and certify operators and technicians for unmanned air systems.
The new UAS Academy will be based on the experience IAI has gained through four decades of designing, manufacturing and operating unmanned systems, as well as in providing training services, the company said.
In addition to providing services to IAI customers within company premises and at other planned locations, the academy will address the growing need to provide trained crews to support the operation of UAS by military, paramilitary and civilian organisations.
Generic and "cross-platform" training services will be available for external pilots, payload operators, mission commanders and instructors, through basic, advanced and recurrent training courses. Instruction will draw on the use of theoretical training, practical flight activity, simulations and high-fidelity mission trainers.
IAI said the academy would be suitable for customers with a range of experience, from those seeking to establish a basic capability to others wishing to optimise their current training activities.
Separately, the Israeli air force is evaluating the introduction of a standard training asset to enhance the training delivered at its own UAS academy, which currently uses basic equipment previously fielded by the nation's armed forces.
"We are conducting a feasibility study that will give us options for using a standard, specially designed platform for the different stages of training," said a source close to the project.
Israeli manufacturers will be asked to propose designs if the study indicates that a new system could meet the service's needs, the source said.
Source: Flight International
