Experienced drone professionals in South Wales are being given the opportunity to gain the
advanced skills needed to operate on complex industrial sites.

Industry becoming more aware of the advantages of using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS),
such as drones, has led to an increased demand for pilots who have the specific knowledge
and skills to fly in industrial settings.

This has led to the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) developing the
ECITB Advanced Industrial Drone Operations Course.

A free pilot course, funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal Skills and Talent Programme and
the ECITB, is being run by ECITB-approved training provider Global Drone Training at RSPCA
Llys Nini Centre in Penllergaer, near Swansea, on the week commencing March 23, with the
assessment taking place the week after.

Martyn Johnson, ECITB Head of Region for Wales, said: “The growing use of drones in
industrial settings is improving safety, increasing efficiency and reducing workers’ exposure to
work-at-height risks and other hazardous environments, such as for asset inspections.“

The ECITB Advanced Industrial Drone Operations course is designed for experienced drone
professionals working in, or preparing to work in, high-risk engineering and construction
environments.

“This intensive five-day programme goes far beyond basic flight skills. It prepares operators
to safely and effectively deploy UAS on complex industrial sites, where safety, compliance,
data integrity and teamwork are non-negotiable.

“Participants will develop a deep, practical understanding of how drones really behave in
challenging industrial environments, how failures occur and how to identify, assess and
manage risk on live industrial sites.

“The course also covers operating drones safely alongside other disciplines in complex
workspaces and making operational decisions under real-world constraints.

“It is aligned with the expectations of industrial clients, site owners and principal contractors,
providing assurance that operators can work safely, professionally and competently in the
most demanding environments.”

The course is suitable for drone operators working on refineries and petrochemical facilities,
power generation and transmission infrastructure, nuclear sites or major construction and
heavy engineering projects.

It includes practical flight assessments and examinations held under realistic operational
conditions.

Development of the advanced course comes after the ECITB launched a quality-assured
Foundation UAS Course in 2023, which was created in collaboration with the UK Drone
Association, ARPAS-UK, alongside a working group made up of industry and drone experts.
For more information and to book a place on the South Wales advanced pilot programme,
contact Global Drone Training by email to [email protected] or call
01792687397.