TRAINING CENTER PREPARES OVER 2,000 DRONE OPERATORS ANNUALLY

CHENGDU, NOVEMBER 10 /SRNA/ – A low-altitude operations training center in the Chinese city of Chengdu can train more than 2,000 drone operators a year, plus more than 6,000 specialists through its other programs. It is equipped with modern simulators and test grounds for hands-on training and drone testing.

The center offers drone piloting courses, test flights and further training for instructors and managers. It also tests and evaluates a range of systems and technologies. It has more than 4,000 square meters of indoor space for practical training and more than 7.3 hectares of outdoor space. It also has more than 10 specialized modules that simulate different scenarios in which drones are used. Its facilities include a large drone flight simulator, 12 training grounds for multirotor aircraft, a 300-by-20-meter runway and a dedicated four-square-kilometer airspace. Center officials said one of their goals was to build a comprehensive education and training system for low-altitude operations. It would cover everything from introductory courses for young people to specialized training for professional operators and instructors. International cooperation is a particular focus. The center is developing a partnership with the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy on joint training and mutual recognition of licenses. It is also aligning its training programs with the International Civil Aviation Organization /ICAO/ standards for unmanned aircraft and developing international training programs. The center was founded jointly by the Civil Aviation Flight University of China /CAFUC/ and the Chengdu Eastern New Area. Its representatives presented its training programs, technical equipment and practical training facilities to journalists. The visit was part of a program for journalists from emerging-market and developing countries, run by the China International Press Communication Center /CIPCC/. It gave the journalists an insight into the development of China's low-altitude aviation sector, its new technologies and its system for training drone professionals. A journalist from SRNA, the Media System of Republika Srpska, was among the visitors.