Embry-Riddle Univ. to create State Dept. drone training program

Top US aviation and aerospace educator Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is adding a new facet to its range of pedagogical and training activities with an assignment from the US Department of State to conceive a multi-modal curriculum and learning program for future drone pilots from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (BINLEA).

Embry-Riddle said it had been selected by State to work up the drone instruction and training program for the BINLEA’s Office of Aviation – known to friends and family as Air Wing, which is expanding its extant piloted assets with uncrewed capacities. 

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As part of that, the university will design and administer a standardized training program that BINLEA student fliers can fulfill during in-person or online instruction that – once successfully completed – should permit them to obtain drone operation certification from third party issuers, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Scott Burgess, an Embry-Riddle associate professor of aviation taking a lead role on the BINLEA instruction project, says the university’s deep background in all aspects of aerial activity will help the bureau enlarge its monitoring and enforcement capabilities from legacy aircraft to remotely piloted drones.

“The government has training standards and robust administrative policies and procedures already in place globally for everything that is crewed – but nothing that is uncrewed,” Burgess said. “Their intent is to standardize sUAS training, certification and standardization globally. Our job is to… assist in setting conditions that provide a level of knowledge, skills, and abilities equivalent or surpassing established international sUAS crew standards.”

Embry-Riddle is well placed to orchestrate that. In addition to its main campus in Florida, the university operates associate facilities around the US and globally through its Worldwide Campus Department of Flight. Instruction in all aspects of flying – from engineering to landing drones – is provided through in-person, and when feasible online courses as well. 

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That reach of Embry-Riddle’s drone education action is set to extend even further once its BINLEA program is up and running. An internal State Department logic in creating that curriculum, Burgess notes, is to provide other government agencies the option of adopting it for their own drone training needs.

“The Worldwide Campus Department of Flight has worked aggressively over the past six years to raise the bar for UAS operational integration, training, and standardization into various commercial and governmental disciplines, and the federal government came to us for a reason,” Burgess said. “They have been very open to our ideas, due to the fact that our strength in these areas is combined with our knowledge in aviation safety. The (Department of State) has also encouraged further ideas to establish a noteworthy program.”