Mon, Oct 19, 2009
Programs Offered For Pilots, Sensor Operators
The University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of
Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace) said Friday it is the
first educational institution in the nation to offer an
undergraduate major in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operations.
The program addresses the increasing demand for qualified pilots
and sensor operators in the rapidly growing field of UAS,
high-altitude aircraft that are flown remotely from the ground for
both military and commercial uses.
Launched in August 2009, the curriculum places UND Aerospace in
the midst of expanded U.S. acceptance and application of
long-endurance, multi-mission aircraft capable of delivering
persistent situational awareness and rapid strike capabilities. UAS
are primarily used by the military for long-endurance
reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering, and on missions that are
too dangerous to risk the lives of flight crew. Civilian uses
include firefighting, law enforcement, border control, ocean
surveillance and weather prediction.
Describing the current shortage of qualified UAS professionals,
UND Aerospace Dean Bruce Smith said, "UAS is an emerging technology
that has experienced dramatic growth over the past decade. As
platform use increases with military, law enforcement and other
commercial applications, the demand for qualified pilots and
operators will increase as well. Our program offers tremendous
career opportunities to students who are passionate about aviation
and aspire to push the envelope of innovation."
UND Aerospace supports over 100 airplanes and helicopters. More
than 7,822 students have graduated from UND Aerospace since its
founding in 1968.
Consistently rated as one of the top aviation programs in the
nation, UND has received more than $24 million in federal, state
and private funding since 2006 to research UAS performance data and
national airspace issues, such as how UAS can be integrated into
existing traffic patterns and airspace used by commercial and
general aviation aircraft.
More News
Aero Linx: International Business Aviation Council Ltd IBAC promotes the growth of business aviation, benefiting all sectors of the industry and all regions of the world. As a non->[...]
"During the annual inspection of the B-24 “Diamond Lil” this off-season, we made the determination that 'Lil' needs some new feathers. Due to weathering, the cloth-cove>[...]
Also: Bushcat Woes, Hummingbird 300 SL 4-Seat Heli Kit, Carbon Cub UL The newest Junkers is a faithful recreation that mates a 7-cylinder Verner radial engine to the airframe offer>[...]
Also: Seaplane Pilots Association, Rotax 916’s First Year, Gene Conrad After a decade and a half of struggling with the FAA and other aero-politics, G100UL is in production a>[...]
Also: Martha King Scholarship, Montaer Grows, Textron Updates Pistons, FlySto The FAA is hiring thousands of air traffic controllers, but the window to apply will only be open for >[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.16.24)
See All