Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Flight Crews

Remotely-piloted and unmanned aircraft operations continue to grow within the military and are advancing toward commercial operation within the National Airspace System of the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration will ensure that operation of remotely-piloted and unmanned aircraft maintain an equivalent level of safety with manned aircraft and have already launched programs that will require unmanned aircraft to be piloted by rated pilots.

In step with the FAA, GT Aeronautics provides FAA-qualified UAS Flight Crews (mission commanders, pilots, payload operators and maintenance technicians) for operators of remotely piloted aircraft systems and unmanned aircraft systems. The four competent and professional members of a GTA UAS Flight Crew include a commercially-rated instrument pilots with military experience, providing total end-to-end knowledge of the pilot and operational requirements for aircraft flight within the National Airspace System, including military operating areas. GTA UAS Flight Crews have an extensive background in military and civil aviation and their knowledge of the Federal Aviation Regulations, in addition to the accepted standards of aircraft operation, guarantees an increased level of safety during the operation of your unmanned aircraft system. Flight Crews are trained to evaluate your unmanned aircraft system and operational procedures in order to provide feedback on the systems and flight characteristics of your aircraft, as well as help standardize your operational procedures in accordance with FAA requirements and accepted methods of operation.

GT Aeronautics UAS Flight Crews (either individual positions or the entire crew) are available on an hourly, daily or monthly basis and will meet your challenging schedule of operation. Rates are billed according to your requirements.

UAS Flight Training

As file-and-fly operation of remotely-piloted and unmanned aircraft within the National Airspace System moves closer to acceptance by the FAA and the public, the FAA has already indicated that pilots operating unmanned aircraft systems within the NAS will be required to have a commercial and instrument rating.

In anticipation of unmanned aircraft operations within the NAS, GT Aeronautics has embarked on a mission to provide ground and flight instruction for remotely piloted aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems operations.

GT Aeronautics has created a UAS Flight Training School that is staffed with qualified instructor pilots, each with an extensive background in military and civilian flight operations within the United States and abroad.

Our UAS flight training curriculum is designed to familiarize students with unmanned aircraft systems, payloads, flight operations, Federal Aviation Regulations, the National Airspace System, pilot certification standards and maintenance procedures.

After completing the ground school portion of the syllabus, students embark on actual flight training using our own Bandit UAS, TACAMO UAS and Bandito MAV. Each student completes training for all four Flight Crew positions - Mission Commander (MC), Pilot In Command (PIC), Payload Operator (PO), and Maintenance Technician (MT). Pilot training includes external pilot operations (similar to radio control aircraft flight) and full internal pilot operation - where the aircraft is operated completely from within a Ground Control Station with no visual contact of the aircraft. Various mission profiles are taught and flown to proficiency, providing the student with a wide and marketable background in unmanned aircraft operations.

Upon completion of the entire UAS Flight Crew training syllabus, students will have gained complete knowledge of each flight crew position and may complete the FAA Commercial and Instrument written exams (required for PIC position). UAS licensing is currently pending approval by the FAA.*

Instruction can be tailored to meet a student's individual needs. All flight instruction is completed using GT Aeronautic's aircraft - the Bandit UAS, TACAMO UAS and Bandito MAV - stable, yet high-performance remotely-piloted aircraft.

NOTE: Ground school and flight instruction rates vary according to the selected syllabus. Flight instruction rates do not include aircraft rental fees, which are charged on an hourly basis.

* Completion of the UAS Flight Crew training curriculum at this time provides a student with an anticipated marketable skill. It does not yet provide a UAS pilot license, nor does it permit flight of remotely piloted or unmanned aircraft within the National Airspace System - it simply provides the student with the skills required to obtain a UAS license when the FAA program for such licensing is complete. UAS pilot licensing will be provided by GT Aeronautics as soon as permitted by the FAA. Students that have completed the GT Aeronautics UAS Flight Crew training curriculum prior to FAA approval of a UAS pilot licensing program will be permitted to obtain their UAS pilot license through GT Aeronautics at any time after FAA approval of the licensing process.