The Nevada UAS Test Site and the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) are partnering with a New York based training and education provider called SkyOp LLC, to offer UAS training programs and courseware to the West Coast.

Las Vegas will serve as the West Coast affiliate training center, where the next generation of the workforce will be prepared and trained so that it can answer “future demand for highly specialized drone-enabled employment opportunities.”

“UAS workforce development is the engine that will grow the Nevada UAS Industry,” says Dr. Chris Walach, Director of the FAA-designated Nevada UAS Test Site.

“The exponential growth of the UAS Industry with the need to produce a highly skilled pilot workforce, both put great pressure on workforce development endeavors and this partnership will continue to fuel the growth of the Nevada UAS Industry.”

Through the collaboration, businesses, educational institutions, and workforce development programs will be able to offer a “knowledge-to-action curriculum,” which the entities say will create great opportunity within the commercial UAS industry and emerging technologies.

The partnership will leverage the industry expertise of NIAS, and the proprietary courseware, Intro to sUAS and Remote Pilot Knowledge Test Prep, of SkyOp, to provide an extensive course that will give students the skills and information necessary to start flying UAS safely and legally.

The Intro to sUAS course will offer students hands-on flight training to help them become proficient at basic UAS flight maneuvers in a controlled environment indoors, before moving outdoors where natural and weather elements become a factor.

SkyOp’s Remote Pilot Knowledge Test Prep will prepare students to pass the FAA knowledge test, so that they can become certified and operate UAS commercially.

The courses will be offered starting in August 2017.