Improving Instruction in Unmanned Aviation Operations
UAS instructors often transition from maintenance, flight, or operations roles directly into the classroom. Despite their technical expertise, these specialists rarely receive formal preparation for the unique challenges of instructional delivery and knowledge transfer in unmanned aviation.
UAS Curriculum Highlights
The first step to better UAS education and training is a shared knowledge base. Explore our professional handbooks designed for every role in the unmanned flight program.
The Professional Remote Pilot Handbook
A Comprehensive Resource for Safe and Legal Operations in the National Airspace.
Who it is for: Commercial sUAS remote pilots looking to expand their knowledge and understanding of VLOS operations
The Professional Remote Pilot Handbook is the definitive guide for anyone pursuing or advancing a career in commercial unmanned aircraft operations. Written in clear, accessible language, this handbook covers everything a professional remote pilot needs to know, from the structure of the National Airspace System and FAA regulations under Part 107, to aircraft systems, meteorology, aerodynamics, mission planning, and aviation safety. Grounded in FAA advisory circulars, regulatory guidance, and established industry best practices, this handbook walks readers through the full scope of professional UAS operations. Topics include airspace classifications and authorizations, aircraft maintenance and inspection, weather interpretation, human factors and crew resource management, command and control links, flight management systems, ground and flight operations, organizational structure, training requirements, Safety Management Systems, and privacy considerations. Emerging topics such as Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations are addressed throughout, preparing readers for the next generation of commercial drone operations. Whether you are studying for your Remote Pilot Certificate, building operational procedures for a commercial UAS program, or looking to raise your professional standard, this handbook is your essential companion. It bridges the gap between regulatory requirement and real-world application, equipping remote pilots with the knowledge, judgment, and professionalism that safe and successful UAS operations demand.
The Professional UAS Technician Handbook
A Comprehensive Resource for Maintaining Airworthiness in Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Who it is for: UAS maintenance technicians and program technical leads.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems do not fail all at once. They fail slowly, through overlooked details, missed inspections, improper assembly, stressed materials, aging batteries, and small decisions made under pressure. This book is a practical guide to preventing those failures. Written for maintenance technicians, operators, and organizations responsible for keeping UAS airworthy, this handbook explains how every part of a system, including mechanical, electrical, software, and data, needs to work together to produce safe and reliable flight operations. It begins with the fundamentals: understanding manuals, tools, and documentation. From there, it moves through airframes, propulsion, control systems, power systems, avionics, command-and-control links, ground stations, docking stations, and payload integration. Readers learn how to interpret schematics, apply the correct torque, manage batteries, identify out-of-tune control loops, measure radio signals, diagnose interference, maintain sensors, and track data and firmware. The book addresses inspection methods, preventive maintenance schedules, troubleshooting techniques, and the recognition of early signs of wear, fatigue, corrosion, and system degradation. It explains airworthiness, documentation, compliance, and the shared responsibilities of technicians, operators, and manufacturers. Beyond hardware and software, the book confronts the most common source of failure: human factors. Using established maintenance safety models, it shows how communication, teamwork, awareness, and discipline directly affect system reliability. This is not a theory text. It is a field reference for generating sorties, returning aircraft to service, and keeping UAS ready for flight—day after day, mission after mission.
The Professional UAS Flight Controller Handbook
A Comprehensive Resource for Monitoring and Controlling Complex UAS.
Who it is for: UAS flight controllers and operators working under Part 108 regulations.
Unmanned aircraft operations are expanding beyond visual line of sight and into complex airspace, creating a new role in aviation. The Professional UAS Flight Controller Handbook defines this role under Part 108 and explains how it differs from the Remote Pilot. It outlines the training, judgment, and operational discipline required to manage aircraft safely from a control station. The book begins with the regulatory foundation established by the Federal Aviation Administration, explaining how Parts 107, 108, 89, 146, 48, 36, and 137 apply to professional UAS operations. Readers learn how aviation regulations are structured, how compliance is achieved, and how modern authorization tools, such as UAS data service providers, support safe access to controlled airspace. Operational chapters prepare readers to work within the national airspace system. At the same time, the technical sections explain aircraft systems, associated elements, command-and-control data links, and the newly developed methods for ensuring airworthiness that enable safe flight. Further chapters address unmanned traffic management and detect-and-avoid technology, which are essential for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. The handbook concludes with practical instruction on mission planning, ground operations, system monitoring, contingency planning, and how professional UAS organizations use procedures, training programs, and safety management systems to support reliable operations across multiple sites.
The Professional UAS Operations Supervisor Handbook
A Comprehensive Resource for Managing BVLOS Operations.
Who it is for: Program managers and BVLOS operations supervisors.
BVLOS Unmanned Aircraft Systems operations demand more than skilled pilots and advanced technology. They require disciplined oversight, regulatory precision, and steady leadership at the operational level. The Professional UAS Operations Supervisor Handbook defines the role of the Operations Supervisor as the central authority responsible for safe, compliant, and reliable mission execution. This handbook translates federal requirements, operational practices, and safety principles into a clear framework for supervising UAS missions under Part 108. It explains how to manage compliance, documentation, authorizations, maintenance oversight, training programs, and safety systems while making real-time operational decisions in dynamic environments. Readers learn how to plan and monitor missions, coordinate crews, maintain fleet airworthiness, standardize training, and apply structured safety management. The book also addresses the leadership responsibilities unique to high-consequence operations, including crisis response, accountability, and continuous improvement. Designed for current and aspiring Operations Supervisors, this guide establishes the essential knowledge and practical standards for overseeing professional UAS operations with confidence, discipline, and authority.
AUDIENCE
The Foundation for UAS Program Success
This program is specifically engineered for professionals responsible for the safety and educational standards of unmanned aviation operations.
UAS Program Directors
UAS Instructors
Strategic leadership establishing the mission and vision for unmanned flight programs.
The front-line experts translating complex operations into digestible student outcomes.
Training Managers
Curriculum Developers
Ensuring operational consistency and regulatory compliance across the entire cadre.
Architects of the learning path, bridging the gap between theory and safe field flight.