Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the EASA-certified category are considered aircraft and hence, in a way similar to manned aircraft, need a Type Certificate. This Type Certificate should cover the airworthiness of the entire UAS/Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), as specified in the Type design. The UAS requirements shall eventually be laid down in codes like the EASA Certification Specifications (CS).

The course will provide an overview of the existing certification specifications for UAS/RPAS and on how the certification process should be currently undertaken for RPAS of different configurations and MTOM.

Furthermore, the course will provide information on emerging standards for UA equipment (e.g. geofencing) as well as for the CE marking and declaration of conformity in the open and specific categories.

10 lectures of about 50 minutes, plus 2 group exercises (1.5h each), plus 1 hour for final examination: 13 modules of around one hour distributed over 2 consecutive days.

The 10 lectures comprise:

• Course introduction and objectives
• Overview of Certification processes for UAS and EASA policy
• Commission Delegated Regulation for putting on the market UAS in the open category.
• Certification Specifications for Light Unmanned Rotorcraft Systems (CS-LURS)
• Certification Specifications for Light Unmanned Aeroplane Systems (CS-LUAS)
• Command and control equipment
• Detect and avoid equipment
• Equipment for small UAS (electronic identification, geofencing, etc.)
• EASA Special Conditions for RPAS
• AMC RPAS.1309

In addition to questions and answers at the end, but even solicited during the lectures and availability of the trainer during the breaks, one group exercise per day is planned:

• Identify the applicable certification process for different types of UAS, parts and appliances
• Identify the certification basis for a specific UAS and define the required documentation to be produced for the application

After completing the course:

• All participants should be able to explain the legal requirements and regulatory processes to put on the EU market UAS indented for the various categories of UAS operations
• Participants from a competent aviation authority should achieve the competence to apply the regulations for airworthiness approval in the certified category of non-military drones, based on provisions from ICAO, JARUS, EU and EASA
• Participants for the industry should be able to apply the procedures for compiling the EU declaration of conformity for UAS intended for use in the open and specific category of UAS operations

Aviation professionals, designers, importers and manufacturers feeling the need to receive essential information on the certification standards currently available for non-military drones, to:

• better understand the framework for the certification of different types of drones or their parts and appliances
• better understand the available certification specification for the different types of RPAS

The target group includes:

• Middle managers, rulemaking officials and inspectors of CAAs
• Middle managers, designers and aviation professionals desiring to receive detailed information on the international standards and rules applicable to the airworthiness of non-military drones
• Entrepreneurs involved in drone or drone equipment manufacturing and wishing to expand their activity by certifying or declaring conformity of respective products.

Essential:

• Good command of the English language
• University graduation (bachelor), or 3 years of experience in traditional aviation, or 1 year of experience on drones

Desirable:

• Good understanding of the respective roles of institutions, agencies and other entities involved in developing the regulatory framework for drones
• Having attended the course UAS-SOC