Monroe County Community College’s office of workforce development is offering two new drone pilot training courses for Federal Aviation Administration certification preparation. The courses will be offered at reduced rates thanks to a grant from SEMCA GEM Talent.
“This is a one-time opportunity, and they’ve agreed to fund up to 30 students for our January TRUST class and for our commercial drone pilot class that begins in February,” said the college’s director of workforce development, Barry Kinsey.
The first course is “The Recreational UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Safety Test” course. The four-hour course covers safety practices, basic drone operations, and regulatory requirements. Upon completion of the course, students will take the online Federal Aviation Administration TRUST examination. After passing the test, students will receive a certificate from the test administrator as proof of passage. The course will take place on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Welch Health Education Building gymnasium. It will cost $40.
The second course, Commercial Drone Pilot, is designed for aspiring professionals. The 20-hour course provides training on FAA regulations, airspace classification, weather impacts, and operational procedures. Instructors will guide students through the knowledge required to pass the FAA Part 107 exam for certification to operate drones commercially. Students will be provided with a drone for the class. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in weekly online exam preparation sessions. The classes will be held on the following Saturdays: Feb. 14, 21, and 28 and March 14, from noon to 4 p.m. in the Welch Health Education Building gymnasium. It will cost $150.
“It’s a great chance for somebody to get this training at a much-reduced cost,” Kinsey said. “You don’t know if it’s every going to happen again at that price.”
According to Kinsey, these courses act as precursors of sorts, as the hope is to offer a credited aviation management class in the fall of 2026.
You can register for the winter courses at https://monroeccc.augusoft.net.
— Contact reporter Connor Veenstra at CVeenstra@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe community college offering low-cost drone piloting classes
Reporting by Connor Veenstra, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
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