Leonardo extends its range of training services to also include remotely piloted rotary wing systems (RUAS) to offer more and more complete training solutions to a growing number of customers, thus maximizing mission safety and effectiveness. The company has recently obtained from ENAC (National Civil Aviation Authority) the Certification of Organization Authorized for Training for these systems. Leonardo now has the opportunity to provide training services for the categories of light and very light category remote controlled rotary wing systems (up to 25 kg) at his Training Academy based in Sesto Calende, in the province of Varese, where pilots and maintenance technicians of its helicopter customers are trained.
This Certification therefore increases the quality and versatility of the training services provided by Leonardo, the first manufacturer in the world to now also offer this specific training service for drones of these categories. It is expected that this certification will be implemented by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) in 2021. The addition of this new service allows Leonardo to respond to the evolution of requests from the helicopter market, in particular from those customers who are increasing their use of small drones for their missions, including those concerning civil protection operations and in response to major emergencies.
In addition, Leonardo is also developing a complete training package for his 200kg AWHERO remotely piloted helicopter. This new product was successfully used in maritime surveillance demonstration activities at the end of 2019 as part of the European OCEAN 2020 initiative, in the Mediterranean sea. The training program will offer solutions already available for helicopter pilots, thanks to the consolidated and rapidly evolving experience that Leonardo has shown to customers all over the world with its Training Academy and Training Centers in terms of technologies and simulation. Among the services available there is also a mission planning system, created on the basis of the "Leonardo SkyFlight" system, which will allow customers to add an additional operational service for the AWHERO.
