Unmanned Safety Institute (USI), a leader in remote pilot training and certification, has announced that its Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Safety Certification has been certified by the University of California (UC) A-G program.
UC A-G approval will enable high school students to use USI’s four-course curriculum to meet admissions requirements to any state education institute. Current program guidelines require students who are applying to the UC school system to complete 15 year-long A-G courses prior to finishing high school.
The Unmanned Safety Institute’s STEM curriculum, which has been approved by several state departments of education, is currently being utilized in 20 states across the country, in an effort to establish industry standards for safety training and UAS professional UAS operations as part of the drone industry’s workforce development program. To date, USI has trained over 5,000 students in the field of unmanned aerial systems.
“Unmanned Safety Institute is incredibly fortunate to be able to support California and its UAS workforce development,” said Joshua Olds, president of USI. “We are excited to work with schools like California Baptist University and those in the Sweetwater Union High School District, giving their students the upper hand in an evolving, high-skill, high-wage career path.”
The Small UAS Safety Certification is comprised of four courses totaling over 180 hours of instruction. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to take USI’s credentialing exam leading to the Small UAS Safety Certification — an industry certification demonstrating expertise in the safe and professional application of remotely piloted aircraft, making them highly qualified for careers in the burgeoning industry of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, commonly referred to as “drones.”
Students are then enrolled in USI’s Career Pathways Initiative, providing them with a direct link to employers that are looking for professional remote pilots. USI is in the process of expanding the program into other states across the country and is currently training teachers to facilitate the curriculum for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year.
USI’s courses and program information can be found on the UC A-G Approved Course List by searching for “Unmanned Safety Institute” at https://hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist#/list/search/institution.
Courses in the curriculum, each earning students three credits, include:
- Unmanned Aircraft – five units of study including robotic aircraft and data links;
- UAS Applications – five units of study including applications, regulations, and operating in the National Airspace System (NAS);
- UAS Personnel – three units of study including human factors and aeronautical decision making; and
- Safety Management – four units of study including safety policy and safety risk management.
“CBU [California Baptist University] is pleased to be part of the pathway program with USI,” said Dr. John Marselus, chair of the department of aviation science at California Baptist University.
“We share a common premise of taking the strong foundation already provided through years of experience in the manned aviation world and applying it to unmanned aviation. By teaching and applying areas such as aeronautical decision making, risk management, and proven techniques and training programs, the next generation of professional aviators will be prepared to meet the many opportunities of unmanned aviation.
“CBU is the next logical step for those who would like to build upon what they have learned in USI and take the next step whether it is in commercial, military, or missionary aviation.”
