Leonardo is expanding its training offerings to include rotorcraft UAS (RUAS). The company recently obtained an authorized training organization certificate from Italian national civil aviation authority ENAC for UAS for training for light and very light category remotely piloted systems through its Helicopter Training Academy in Sesto Calende. Leonardo expects EASA certification in 2021.

This certification makes Leonardo the first rotorcraft OEM to offer this training. The company said it developed the training to “respond to the evolving market demands by those helicopter operators who are increasingly using small UAS for their missions, including those carrying out disaster relief and emergency response tasks.” 

Leonardo is also developing training for the AWHERO 441-pound-class RUAS. The AWHERO was deployed in a successful maritime surveillance capability demonstration as part of the European OCEAN 2020 initiative in the Mediterranean Sea at the end of 2019. The training syllabus will use elements from that for piloted helicopters including simulation and a mission planning system tool based on the Leonardo SkyFlight system.