Classes conducted by military instructors are the first phase of the pilot task of the defence ministry "OPW with drone". By the end of November, teachers from 16 schools with military preparation units will be trained for the BSP piloting exam. Then they will start classes for students who can power the military in the future as drone operators.
Defence Ministry task "OPW with drone" to enable young people to get applicable skills to operate and fly unmanned aircraft. The pilot edition of this programme is attended by 16 secondary schools from all over Poland. military preparation troopsselected by Central Military Recruitment Center.
“We want to attract young people with drones, their capabilities and service, so that they can make in this direction in the future, as well as power up the ranks of troops,” says Major Paweł Więzasz of the Inspectorate of the Armed Forces of the General Command of the Polish Army, liable for coordinating piloting.
In the 18th Reconnaissance Regiment in Białystok, the first 8 teachers from selected schools, who will be conducting drone classes, undergo five-day training. Each of them had already registered on the authoritative government website and obtained the privileges of the civilian Aviation Authority A1/A3 to fly drones in the open category. This means that they can fly within visual scope and at a maximum of 120 m distant from outsiders.
Chosen teachers frequently teach computer science, technology or education for safety in their schools. They were military, too. During the training, they explored issues related to aviation law, the principles of drone use. The construction of BSP, as well as their assembly or repair, was taught by soldiers from the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade.
“There was a large deal of emphasis on safety, including battery storage,” says 1 teacher. The trainees spent 2 days in the field in applicable drone piloting classes. Instructors wanted to get to know the full scope of unmanned drones: from simple commercial constructions, to more professional multi-vertiders, to FPV drones. This will aid them to make their skills step by step.
– Training is besides a time to exchange experiences, observations and comments between military instructors and teaching staff. Thanks to this we will build the program in specified a way as to meet the expectations of students, but besides all formal requirements – explains Major Mateusz Szymanski, teacher from IWBSU.
The classes that teachers will conduct in the future for their students will cover both explanation and practice. They will focus on aviation, engineering, electronics, telecommunications and programming. Instructors stress that during drone lessons students will be able to take an interest in technology, catch the bug and in the future power the military as large drone operators.
“We hope that the grain will fall to susceptible ground, due to the fact that young people have open minds, good reflexes, divisiveness of attention and they operate well with game consoles, and the drone is just another akin tool,” military trainers say.
Teachers assessed that training was a step in the right direction, but besides stressed the request to specify precise rules for conducting drone classes, among others, whether they were to be only lessons within the RDP or besides circles of interest. As Sławomir Podebra, a teacher from the 7th General Education Secondary School in Legnica, emphasizes, it is besides crucial at this phase to exchange information and insights between defence and education ministries. – It is crucial to inform the students about the effect of the training," the interviewer points out.
The second circular of training for the next 8 teachers participating in the programme is planned next week. Schools that have joined the programme will receive PLN 100 1000 from the MON, and PLN 25 1000 from their own budget. This money will let to equip drone labs, buy 14 unmanned or simulators, and essential insurance packages, including for students and teachers.
The pilotage of the "OPW with a drone" task assumes that in the first stage, by the end of 2025, teachers will be trained for the ULC state level A2 exam. The second phase is due to last until 1 July 2027 and will include classes for students, which will end in gaining full open-class privileges.