ASTM Releases Public Safety Remote Pilot Standards

ASTM International has approved a new standard establishing minimum training requirements for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drone) operators. The new standard, which will be published as F3379, addresses general, field and search-specific knowledge and skills for UAS pilots operating from remote locations. According to ASTM, it was designed to support public safety agencies fielding UAS teams.

Courtesy of NIST (2020)

“While other ASTM standards address the general and overarching aspects of UAS, the new standard focuses on the specific challenges for public safety remote pilots within their operational environment,” said Praxis Aerospace Concepts International CEO and ASTM International member Jonathan Daniels.

Read more from AVweb here

AUVSI TOP Wins Awards

The Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International earned a 2019 ASAE Power of A Gold Award for its AUVSI Trusted Operator Program (TOP), a certification program to create a culture of safety, reliability, professionalism, and trust within the unmanned aircraft systems remote pilot community, commonly known as drones. As it continues to expand and evolve, the TOP program is building confidence with end-users, driving member engagement, and strengthening the association’s relationship with the FAA.

The program supports pilots who perform a myriad of operations across dozens of industries – including energy, agriculture, construction, mining, and surveying. Because of the agility and precision sensing capabilities of this technology, remote pilots are making work faster, cheaper, cleaner, and – most importantly – safer. While a relatively new profession, remote pilots constitute a rapidly growing population of professionals around the world.

Read the article here

UAS training gets ASTM seal of approval

As the first university approved to meet ASTM International for training students in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) , the UND John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences is planning to extend this expertise beyond the campus.

Paul Snyder, director of the UND Aerospace UAS Program, is a member of the ASTM International committee that developed standards for drone operation and maintenance as a joint program with Praxis Aerospace Concepts International Inc. He noted that receiving ASTM’s stamp of approval is important for UND’s UAS students, but also offers the potential to train UAS operators for industry.

You can read the original UND press release here. You can read more about the ASTM-PAVI UAS Approved Training Provider program here.

Taking it to the TOP: PACI presents Chapter Affiliation Incentive Program

In support of the adoption of Trusted Operator Program™ (TOP) by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Chapters, Praxis Aerospace Concepts International, Inc. (PACI) expands its service by announcing their new, “Chapter Affiliation Incentive Program”. This program is a prime example of PACI’s latest initiatives and commitment to transform organizations by providing the next step of certification in accordance to the AUVSI Trusted Operator Program.

The Trusted Operator Program™(TOP) fills the gap between these minimally prescriptive operating regulations and a higher level of demonstrated knowledge, flight proficiency, safety and risk management practices that is expected to be valued by employers and customers of commercial UAS operators. PACI’s Chapter Affiliation Incentive Program offers a 10% discount on TOP Service Provider certification for Organizational Members of AUVSI Chapters and is in effect as of August 8,2019 and valid until February 1, 2020.

PACI is proud to offer this limited time discounted rate in compliments of other discount programs offered by AUVSI TOP Training Providers. This Program applies to TOP Level 1 and 2 Service Provider certification only and does not apply to individual certifications as TOP Remote Pilots or Instructors. This offer is not valid for colleges already participating in the discounted Section 631 Certification Program.

 “Being TOP certified is important as it demonstrates assurance that the Organization meets protocols for competency and safety established by the industry consensus-based standards in the ANSI Standardization Roadmap for UAS,” said Jonathan Daniels, CEO of PACI. “TOP certification is important in terms of success as a professional organization, and has helped early adopters receive Part 107 Waivers. As the first TOP Certifying Body, PACI is committed to assisting industry organizations participate in the Trusted Operator Program.”

This year, the company plans to add more programs that will support the common goals of the Unmanned Aviation industry.

For those interested in taking advantage of this offer, organizations must show proof of Organizational Membership and Chapter Affiliation  Click here to get started

PACI Trusted Operator Program officially goes International

PACI Trusted Operator Program officially goes International

On July 8, 2019, Praxis Aerospace Concepts International, Inc (PACI) reached another milestone and became the 1st  AUVSI Trusted Operator Program (TOP) Certifying Body authorized to deliver International TOP Service to train drone organizations overseas.

At their facilities in Henderson and Searchlight, NV,  PACI provides third-party evaluation of the curriculum of industry training programs in compliance with AUVSI’s remote pilot standards and protocols.

The PACI team is the first AUVSI TOP partner approved to deliver TOP Certification in South Africa and continues to be one of fastest – growing leading providers in the drone industries.

For more information on TOP, visit https://www.auvsi.org/topoperator

Click here to view our AUVSI Trusted Operator Program

FlightSafety and PACInc Officially Begin UAS Training Classes in Nevada

FlightSafety International, in partnership with Praxis Aerospace Concepts, Inc., officially begins the Unmanned Aircraft Systems practical flight training in the Henderson facility.

The program offers students a wide variety of hands-on training and fundamentals of UAS and how to safely operate them.

Students will learn UAS rules and guidelines and familiarize themselves with the Part 107 Remote Pilot exam. At the end of the course, they will be able to apply their knowledge on the field and fly a UAS at Searchlight Airpark during a Flight assessment.­­­­

Read the press release from FlightSafety International here or sign up for more information on their website. Additional coverage is available from Shephard Media.

To learn more about FlightSafety’s Unmanned Systems Training, and the courses taught in Nevada, click here or email UST@FlightSafety.com

To enroll in FlightSafety’s Essential Library, click here.


To enroll in FlightSafety’s 14 CFR Part 107 Familiarization Course (eLearning), click
here.

Monsoon Awareness in Southern Nevada

We would like to remind all out-of-state visitors and users that our “monsoon season” officially extends from June 15th through September 30th, the time during which associated hazards are most likely to occur.

For more information, please review this web page developed by the National Weather Service and the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs to promote awareness of life-threatening and damaging weather hazards affecting the Southwestern United States and its residents during the North American Monsoon.

Pinnacle Solutions wins $553M Army unmanned training contract

On March 19th, 2019, Pinnacle Solutions Inc. was awarded the $533-million cost-plus-fixed-fee Unmanned Aircraft Systems Instruction and Mission Support (UAS IMS) contract by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Orlando, Florida. Under this contract, Pinnacle will provide UAS instruction, maintenance, logistics support, prescribed load list (PLL), flight line operations support and information technology network support, for UAS training conducted at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, by the 2d Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.

Training will be in support of entry-level U.S. Army Soldiers who will be learning to operate and/or maintain the RQ-7 Shadow and MQ-1 Gray Eagle UAS, utilizing simulation systems in a classroom environment in addition to actual flight operations. The estimated contract completion date is March 2026.

Praxis Aerospace Concepts International Incorporated (PACI) is pleased to announce our participation with the Pinnacle team, supporting with a  multidisciplinary expertise and experience in safe integration of Unmanned Systems.

Read the full article from the Washington Technology Journal here . Additional coverage from Military Simulation Training Magazine may be found here.

PACInc partners with Nevada colleges to train new generation of pilots and programmers


Correction: The source article “As drone use rises, Nevada colleges gear up to train new generation of pilots and programmers” incorrectly lists Praxis Aerospace Concepts International, Inc. as the vendor for the UNLV program. The course and instructors are provided by Praxis Aerospace Concepts Incorporated (PACInc), an AUVSI Trusted Operator Program Training Provider.

Henderson, December 27th, 2018: Federal aviation officials have predicted that the fleet of commercial drones in the U.S. could quadruple in size from 2017 levels by 2022, driven by their growing use in real estate and aerial photography, surveying, agriculture inspection and many other fields.

“There’s a lot more talk about it, it’s in the news a lot more, so we get a lot more interest because of that,” said Heidi Erpelding-Welch, a program developer in UNLV’s Continuing Education department. “It’s so prevalent at this point. It’s something we saw as an additional need for workforce development.”

It’s one of the big reasons UNLV is introducing a certificate program this winter that, over two weekends, will not only prepare students for a written test to earn a drone pilot’s license but also offer an internationally recognized training program to set them apart in the field. The program emerges in a state that’s one of seven designated by the Federal Aviation Administration as a drone testing site, as Nevada puts more focus on developing an autonomous technology industry and as drones becomes more ubiquitous.

UNLV used to offer drone pilot certification within its engineering program on a schedule that fit for more traditional undergraduate students. It phased out the program in 2016 to revamp it, ensuring it better fit the schedules of people who have full-time jobs already, but want to add drone flying to their skill set.

“One of the biggest fallacies is the idea of unfilled jobs where all you do is act as a drone pilot, and that’s not really the case,” said Jonathan Daniels, President of Praxis Aerospace Concepts Inc., which will host and provide the instructor and equipment for the program. ”This is a tool that will get you better at doing your job.”

The program has room for 20 students and costs $1,899. It runs on a Friday night, all day Saturday and all day Sunday for two weekends in a row.

Students will learn the different applications of drones, the ins and outs of the regulatory system, how to read aeronautical charts, and how to operate a drone safely.  For 10 hours, they’ll either operate a simulator or fly a real drone.

What makes UNLV’s program different from other classes on drones is that it’s one of the first to adhere to Trusted Operator Program certification through the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. Daniels likens it to buying organic produce — there’s a difference between someone slapping the “organic” label on an apple, and the apple being the product of a rigorous set of organic farming standards.

“That provides a professional framework based on industry standards and best practices and regulation, to really target an employable remote pilot,” he said.

Read the full article in The Nevada Independent by Michelle Rindels here. 

AUVSI launches Trusted Operator Program™

AUVSI TOP™ is a professional unmanned system community initiative aimed at supporting industry accepted remote pilot standards and protocols, which will result in the safe and sustainable advancement of the industry.

Featured Image

AUVSI has worked with more than 190 international safety experts to create TOP™ to raise the trust and acceptance of the use of unmanned aircraft globally. TOP™ uses a set of protocols constructed from many relevant standards (i.e. ICAO, ANSI, ASTM, NIST) and industry association best practices (i.e. NATE, IOGP, ASPA, HAI) to meet or exceed the aviation regulations established by the Federal Aviation Administration (US), Civil Aviation Safety Authority (AUS), and several Civil Aviation Authorities (including the UK and South Africa). 

TOP is global in nature

All three TOP Levels are aimed at both individual remote pilots and commercial UAS organizations. Each level of certification reflects the level of skills, knowledge and safety protocols required to operate in different industries.

Praxis Aerospace Concepts International, Incorporated (PACI) is pleased to announce our participation in both the Remote Pilots’ Council and the Trusted Operator Program. PACI is proud to be part of the early adopters, and the first approved TOP™ Certifying Body for Public Safety.

Read more about the Trusted Operator Program™ in this month’s Unmanned Systems magazine (Volume 36, No. 7 – October 2018) here. 

As the program rolls out, more details will be available on the TOP web page.

For more information on the TOP™, call 702-586-1160 or email us for service. You can also schedule your audits here.


Verified by MonsterInsights