The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has released a comprehensive framework for approved training and remote pilot licensing, aimed at ensuring safety, compliance, and professional standards in the country’s drone industry.
This move is in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and the Chicago Convention.
Speaking on the topic: “Approved Training and Remote Pilot License: What to Know”, Deputy Director, ATO Certification and Surveillance at the NCAA, Mrs. Collette Onyeulo-Nwulu, stressed the importance of competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) for remote pilots, which focuses on developing and evaluating the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for safe and effective drone operation.
This approach she said, moves beyond traditional time-based training, emphasizing the demonstration of specific competencies.
To obtain a Remote Pilot License (RPL), applicants must undergo training conducted under special curricula and supervision approved by the NCAA in an Approved Training Organization (ATO).
The training program must be designed using the ADDIE principles, which include analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation.
The practical skill training, Mrs Onyeulo-Nwulu involves hands-on flight training to develop operational skills, including conducting pre-flight inspections, planning and briefing drone missions, demonstrating safe flying techniques, and responding to simulated emergencies.
The assessment process for RPL holders includes practical flight assessments, oral questions to assess understanding and decision-making, written exams for regulatory and technical knowledge, and observation and scenario evaluations to assess real-time decision-making and situational response.
Upon successful completion of the training and assessment, she stated, trainees are certified as competent RPL holders by the issuance of a license or certification.
To maintain their licenses, pilots are encouraged to regularly undergo re-assessment and further training as technologies, regulations, and operational contexts evolve.
The NCAA’s framework aims to ensure that remote pilots in Nigeria meet regulatory requirements and operate safely in the national airspace.
With the integration of CBTA, remote pilots are better equipped to handle the demands of drone operation, and the country’s drone industry is poised for growth and development.
What You Need to Know
1. Approved training is conducted under special curricula and supervision approved by the NCAA in an ATO.
2. Remote Pilot License (RPL) holders must undergo competency-based training and assessment (CBTA).
Practical skill training involves hands-on flight training to develop operational skills.
3. Assessment processes include practical flight assessments, oral questions, written exams, and observation and scenario evaluations.
4. Continuous review and re-assessment are required to maintain licenses.
By understanding the framework of approved training and remote pilot licensing, Mrs. Onyeulo-Nwulu stressed,
Nigeria’s drone industry can maintain safety, compliance, and professional standards, ensuring the safe and effective operation of drones in the country’s airspace.
