The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) Industrial UAS Operations: Foundation Training Course, will be offered from FVC’s Falkirk Campus and help industry professionals to advance their drone operation skills for industrial applications, such as infrastructure inspections, site surveys, and complex photography and data capture.

FVC will be the first training provider in Scotland to offer the ECITB five day course, which was designed in collaboration with leading industrial drone users Sellafield. They joined an ECITB working group that helped instigate the creation of industry-wide standards, for the use of unmanned aircraft on sites, providing a benchmark for remote pilots looking to work in complex engineering and construction environments.

Amanda Smith, UAV equipment programme lead at Sellafield, said of the ECITB course at its launch in November 2023: “Having this new standard means if someone comes to us with this ECITB qualification, I understand the standard of the training they’ve got, which saves time on internal assessments.”

This course, therefore, helps bridge the gap between basic drone flying and the more specialised, high-risk applications in industrial settings. Whether applicants are experienced drone pilots looking to transition into multi-sector industrial operations, someone looking to refresh their skill set with an industry approved certification, or a company looking to integrate drone technology into site operations and create a common benchmark for pilot competency, this course is for them.

After successful completion, students will receive ECITB Certification - allowing them to demonstrate to employers an industry-standard and approved level of competency for industrial drone inspections.

Chris Mann, director of learning and assurance, at ECITB, said: “Forth Valley College is the first college in Scotland to deliver the UAS foundation course. The use of drones across industrial settings, particularly for maintenance inspections, offers real benefits to industry including increased worker safety and efficiency as well as a reduction in asset downtime.”

Zak Stark, head of commercial training and delivery at Forth Valley College, said: “We are delighted to be the first training provider in Scotland to offer the ECITB Industrial UAS Operations: Foundation Training Course. This cutting-edge training programme will support local industries by equipping drone pilots with the specialist skills needed to operate safely and effectively in a range of complex environments.

“As industry demand for drone technology continues to grow, this course ensures that companies have access to an industry benchmark for pilot competency and subsequently highly skilled pilots, who can meet stringent operational and safety standards. At Forth Valley College, we are committed to delivering training that directly aligns with industry needs, and we look forward to helping businesses enhance their capabilities with this innovative qualification.”

Jamie Allan, FVC’s global partnerships manager, said: “I’ve been working in the unmanned sector since 2015 across a variety of sectors and applications, utilising a vast range of aircraft and sensor types, winning blue-chip contracts and project managing world first drone operations.

“For me to help introduce this course into Forth Valley College with our existing partner ECITB is therefore extremely exciting. The design of this course through ECITB working with industry to fill a gap, namely the creation of a common benchmark for industrial drone pilots to evidence their competency, is crucial in providing companies with confidence that their staff and subcontracted pilots all meet a certain level of skill and safe operations whilst working around critical assets such as road, rail, energy and engineering infrastructure, amongst other complex environments.

“I would encourage employers of both experienced pilots and those newer to flying, to join the course and invest in their continuous professional development, something which is so often unavailable for drone pilots but which really benefits them and their employer.”