Drone pilot training: what's changing in 2021

In 2021, drone regulations changed. The rules for drone registration for all European remote pilots, as well as permitted altitudes and flight scenarios, have evolved since January 1, 2021. Consequently, drone pilot training programs have also changed since that date.

Reminder of the regulations concerning the training of drone remote pilots

Until now, drone remote pilots (with the exception of tethered balloon remote pilots) had to hold a theoretical remote pilot aptitude certificate (CATT) issued following successful completion of the theoretical drone training exam organized by the DGAC (Directorate General of Civil Aviation).

As a reminder, we have attached the following link:’former theoretical training program for drone remote pilots associated with this examination.

As a reminder, the validity of the CATT was not limited in time. However, it was the responsibility of the drone operator to periodically assess the need to provide an update of the remote pilot's theoretical knowledge (particularly with regard to changes in regulations, or their ability to read aeronautical information).

 

 

In addition to holding this theoretical aptitude certificate, the drone operator/pilot had to ensure that the remote pilot possessed sufficient knowledge:
– Regulations applicable to remotely piloted civil aircraft;
– Procedures from the Operator's Specific Activities Manual;
– Technical and operational principles necessary for piloting the operator's aircraft.

Furthermore, in order to become a fully qualified drone pilot, the latter had to hold a certificate of completion of theoretical piloting training issued by an organization or training center mentioning the scenario(s) for which the training was provided.

So, what's changing in 2021 for drone pilot training?

The DGAC has reviewed the question bank of the ULM theoretical exam for certification and attestation of competence for drone remote pilot functions (CATT) in order to bring it into compliance with European regulations 2021.

This is a "minimal" compliance measure aimed at removing or correcting questions that have become obsolete or incorrect, without introducing new questions on European regulations themselves.

With the entry into force of European regulations, the purpose of the CATT theoretical remote pilot aptitude certificate changes.

Under national regulations, the CATT (Certificate of Aptitude for Technical Approval) allowed flight for specific activities. Under European regulations, the CATT allows flight according to national standard scenarios in the Specific category.

By equivalence, the CATT also allows flight in the open category, notably OPEN A2, but no exam questions will cover the Open category. The terminology has been adapted: "unmanned aircraft" replaces "remotely piloted aircraft," "within visual line of sight" replaces "within visual line of sight," and "operations manual" replaces "specific activity manual," but without changing the meaning of the questions.

The questions in the CATT certification exam that dealt with regulations have been modified as follows (without addressing the substance of the regulations):
– Removal of all references to specific activities, the decrees of December 17, 2015 and the S-4 scenario.

– Exclusive focus on national standard scenarios in the Specific category: no questions on aeromodelling, the Open category, European standard scenarios, the LUC, or flight and operating authorizations.

– The reference text is the decree of December 3, 2020 relating to the definition of national standard scenarios, which reproduces identically the requirements applicable to scenarios S-1, S-2, S-3 which appeared in the aircraft decree of December 17, 2015.

The only substantive changes, following the new 2021 regulations, are as follows:
Article 7 of the Space Order of December 3, 2020: lowering of the maximum height of national standard scenarios from 150 m to 120 m, and to 15 m for overflight of areas above an obstacle of more than 105 m.

Article 6 of the Space Order concerning overflight of SETBA and VOLTAC zones: removal of the 50m height limit and replacement by a notification obligation for UAS with a mass greater than 900 grams.

Do you want to become a professional pilot or fly a drone? Find out about your drone pilot training requirements on the website Fox AlphaTango of the DGAC. For any professional drone piloting, you must have completed mandatory practical and theoretical professional training with an approved training organization or certified training center, have passed your exam at the DGAC or obtained your professional drone pilot's license, with a certificate of completion of practical remote piloting training and have registered your drone on the DGAC website.

Furthermore, all drone pilots must register on the DGAC website, whether they are using a recreational drone for aerial photography such as a DJI Mavic Air, Mavic Pro, or DJI Phantom 4, or any other type of drone. All drone owners in France must register on the AlphaTango website, complete the online training, answer the multiple-choice questionnaire, and register their drone.

If you are a drone operator managing multiple aircraft or UAS drones, GESTADRONE drone management software is designed to simplify your professional activity declaration or fleet management of devices and remote pilots. You can manage each device as well as each pilot, their skill level, theoretical knowledge, certifications, when they need to complete or supplementary training, obtain training certificates, and manage their flight missions.

The GESTADRONE software then allows you to make all your declarations of specific civilian drone activities online: request for overflight declaration, flight authorization, to fly your civil drone, according to your flight scenario, in a defined airspace, in a populated or unpopulated area, to carry out aerial photography, to perform each takeoff and landing safely.

Contact us to find out more.