Heliguy launches CPD-accredited drone courses for the emergency services

heliguy™ has launched a specialist CPD (Continuing Professional Development) drone course for the emergency services, to enhance pilot expertise and covering advanced flight training, exemptions and legislation updates.

The CPD-accredited training package is essential for drone pilots in the emergency services, ensuring they are flying to a high standard and in strict accordance with the rules and regulations.

The heliguy™ CPD course is designed to enhance a remote pilot's expertise and develop an advanced competence; thus maximising their operational effectiveness.

CPD is widely regarded as a mandatory activity in the continuation of any professional enterprise, helping to maintain an optimal level of safety and service provision.

Inquire about the heliguy™ CPD course

The conduct of such drone-specific training is of vital importance in the safeguarding of the public, remote pilots and organisation reputation, ensuring sustainability in the employment of drones by the emergency services.

heliguy™ is perfectly placed to lead this CPD course, thanks to our experience in the industry, which spans more than a decade.

The course is designed to be a continuation of our standard Emergency Services Drone Operator Training (ES-DOT) course - which offers comprehensive yet succinct vocational training for organisations such as the police, fire service, ambulance and Mountain Rescue. An example of a previous heliguy™ ES-DOT course, delivered to South Yorkshire Police, can be found here.

The CPD course also builds on our renowned training provision, which includes the CAA-approved GVC training course.

Our expert instructors will travel to a venue of your choice and the training sessions can be delivered over consecutive days to ensure a larger number of personnel can be trained.

heliguy™ CPD 'will enhance a remote pilot's expertise'

Explaining why heliguy™ has launched the CPD course, Ben Shirley, Head of Training, said: "heliguy™ has benefited from lengthy and diverse relationships with a vast number of emergency services across the UK, entrusted with providing industry-leading equipment, training and technical support.

"Recognising their unique application of drone and sensor technology, we created the CPD programme to enhance a remote pilot's expertise and develop an advanced competence; thus maximising their operational effectiveness.

"This also acts as a mechanism, in conjunction with our comprehensive ES-DOT course, to ensure personnel receive a structured and progressive training package, certifying their continual knowledge and exceptional abilities as emergency services remote pilots." 

What Will I Learn From CPD and What Are The Benefits?

As the emergency services are under constant public scrutiny, it is vital that each remote pilot is highly skilled and operates in strict accordance with robust operating procedures.

During the heliguy™ CPD course, our training team will evaluate these procedures to ensure that they are effective and provide consultation for improvements.

In addition, the training team will conduct a review of the organisation's UAS Operating Safety Case (Operations Manual) to ensure that it remains compliant with updated regulations and legislation.

The CPD course is extremely important because while it may be mandated by a code of conduct or national strategy, it is also a professional obligation to ensure that all personnel are fully averse in the safest operating procedures of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

The training facilitates further validation of drone operators in the emergency services, beyond the minimum requirements of the National Aviation Authorities' mandatory assessment.

It is also important to refresh knowledge and skills regularly to ensure approved procedures and best practices are not slipping into accepted norms and to receive guidance on how to operate the latest technology, which is continually evolving in the fast-paced drone industry.

During the sessions, delegates can expect to receive one-to-one guided learning activities under the tuition of our expert instructors to enhance their competency in the deployment of UAS.

Emergency service personnel who sit the course will receive an update on the regulations that govern the use of drones within the UK, ensuring a comprehensive understanding in order to operate effectively and enforce the regulation as subject matter experts for their organisation.

Delegates can expect to achieve a minimum of two hours flight time and a validation exercise ensuring best-practice principles are adhered to.

Other topics on the course include:

• Hasty operational planning and deployment;

• Use of the Emergency Services Exemption, including a simulated BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) flight;

• Searching for missing people using thermal and optical imaging;

• Aircraft maintenance;

• Air Navigation Order 2016 amendments and future legislation changes.

The course is a mix of classroom-based learning and hands-on practical training and runs from 8.30am to 5pm, with a 45-minute lunch break. Candidates should ensure that they bring suitable wet and cold weather clothing, together with suitable footwear for outdoor activities.

Our versatile training team is happy to add bespoke items to the course, covering additional topics/sessions which are relevant to individual emergency-service personnel.

Praise For heliguy™ Training

heliguy™'s expert training team recently conducted an ES-DOT course with Derbyshire Constabulary and the informative sessions were praised by PC Tom Gee, who is part of the Force's drone unit.

He said: "I found the course very organised and well structured. The team was very professional throughout and clearly have a high level of knowledge when it comes to drones and operating them.

"The course was very useful and being able to sit through it again for myself has been a great refresher for the knowledge I picked up the first time around. I’m sure all the new pilots that attend will have picked a tremendous amount that is going to assist them in deploying under Derbyshire’s PfCO.

"I would say the course is essential for emergency services as it allows for a large number of officers to be trained all in one location locally without having to send them away at different times. It also has the added benefit that it allows anyone to go from a complete novice to of reasonable competence.

"I would certainly encourage others to take this course for all the reasons mentioned above. It has made my life easier as the accountable manager just to be able to get a group of officers most of which have never seen or touched a drone before, send them on a bespoke course and be confident that they have been trained to a high standard. This is why I chose heliguy™."