Roane State has partnered with Avion Unmanned Solutions Inc. to offer a course for emergency responders on how to fly drones. Sign up by visiting www.roanestate.edu/che or calling (865) 539-6904. (Submitted photo)
Drones will be buzzing the skies near Roane State Community College’s Roane County campus in early December as students learn how to safely use remotely piloted aircraft, formally called Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
The five-day class, intended for emergency responders—from law enforcement to fire departments and rescue squads—is a partnership between the college and Avion Unmanned Solutions Inc., which is based in Huntsville, Alabama.
Drones have shown their worth in search and rescue operations, storm damage assessment, wildfire support, hostage situations, aerial reconnaissance, and natural disaster support, officials said.
Certified instructors will teach the class, which will be eight hours a day from December 5-9. About $250,000 worth of several different types of drones and the technology to use with them will be deployed, an Avion representative said. There’s a $2,245 tuition fee.
Classroom work in the mornings will be followed by four hours of flight instruction in the afternoons over the college’s sports fields or behind the college’s barn, said Kirk Harris, Roane State director of Continuing Healthcare and Safety Education.
Those who complete the training will be knowledgeable in “all aspects of UAS operations,” including FAA regulations, risk assessment, drone capabilities, and flight safety, Avion program manager Taylor Abington said.
Perhaps most importantly, the graduates will be able to collect information from drone flights “to support their agencies’ operational requirements,” Abington said.
To register, visit www.roanestate.edu/che or call (865) 539-6904.
This press release was submitted by Owen Driskill.
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