Hi looking to speak to someone who has done drone pilot course and then.what you have been able to use them within rafac. I did see pilot course recently i wanted to go for but requires that annoying level 3 education qualification which if any knows why i just dont get it. It makes another course needed before u can apply but also teaching qual you have to pay for it yourself which isnt right its a real shame.
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The main civilian drone training courses are now DEMARES, A2 CoC and GVC. GVC is basically for larger drones (up to 25kg).
If you have those qualifications, you can operate a UAV with permission (see ACTO 075), though there are also restrictions on the type of drone.
The courses advertised were for RAFAC instructors, who will then go on to deliver courses to CFAV or Cadets - so a teaching/training qual is a logical requirement.
Pretty sure we can’t yet. Still waiting on the finished operators manual and required logging software to come out I thought.
There might be cases where that permission is granted, though I’d expect it to be the exception not the rule. At least for now.
I can agree that if teaching it to cfav and cadets after but dont think a cfav should have to fork out £500-£600 to do the teaching qual themselves when its for rafac and not personal.
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Also do rafac even have many drones as standard im not aware of my wing having any at all.
The Level 3 should be offered via wing/region via CVQO - it is under £100 when done via cadets.
Volunteering shouldn’t cost the volunteer anything (except their time, soul, relationships, etc.)
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I think the intent was that civcoms would
cover the fees. Of course not all will.
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^ if not squadrons then perhaps wing CivCom.
It’s a rare enough box check that you’d hope they’d do it.
I too am interested. I have recently completed my TQUK Level 4, which includes A2CoC & GVC. Will I have to re-take the quals at Little Ris? Do CFAVs really have to pay to do the course?
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the gvc course they have been running at 2fts this month is the last course they are running it so no one will be getting their quals paid for at least anymore.
what level 3 where you referring to?
I’m not sure where you’ve heard that, but @Hercules (the national lead) has said otherwise and confirmed there’s a next wave of courses coming.
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remind me who is national lead of RPAS? Unless they have meant they are changing the course as for example they aren’t going to be using UAV academy anymore it assume this is a cost thing.
The user I tagged previously
RPAS Update - Formation of 692 (Volunteer) RPAS Training Squadron - reminder of this IBN that is the latest update on RPAS 
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I know you said Hercules username can you name who it is or not in here publicly? Currently we don’t have a wing or regional RPAS officer i know the regional role they where trying to fill not long ago.
thanks @themajor
Apologies I was being (probably unhelpfully) facetious because I wasn’t sure! I think on the last version of the OM I read there was a person listed against all of the posts at Rgn level, so you should have one!
I don’t want to post it off-Bader but I’m assuming it’s the name and email address at the bottom of the IBN for Hercules if you don’t have a Rgn lead.
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