SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY – San Bernardino County Regional Occupational Program (ROP) is offering an 8-day Drone Pilot Certification and Training course for $50, this coming February 2023. The class helps students learn about airspace and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations in preparation for the FAA 107 UAS Pilot Exam.

According to Research and Markets, the demand for drone pilots is expected to grow by 51.1 percent over the next five years. The national average salary for a drone operator is $64,488 or $31 per hour. High paying drone operator job fields include surveying and mapping, inspection and monitoring, search and rescue, or real estate photography.

Most drone pilot positions require FAA certification for employment.

According to the ROP Drone Pilot Certification and Training registration, in the “instructor-led course, you will learn how to comply with FAA regulations and safely operate your UAS for commercial purposes.” 

The course will go over topics on the exam that include:

• Regulations relating to small unmanned aircraft system;
• Airspace classification;
• Aviation weather sources and effects of weather on small unmanned aircraft;
• Small unmanned aircraft loading;
• Emergency procedures;
• Crew resource management and others.

The FAA 107 UAS exam has 60-multiple choice questions. The minimum passing score is 70%.

RELATED: General Atomics flies Avenger over HD

Over the summer, ROP and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) Alliance for Education piloted a drone operation jumpstart training program for high school students. 

Fourteen students graduated from the program and are now certified drone pilots. 

The upcoming February 2023 drone certification and training will take place at the UAS Center at SBD 1601 E 3rd St in San Bernardino over the course of eight weeks on selected Fridays, through April, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about the Drone Pilot Certification and Training course visit https://sbcss.k12oms.org/43-228810