Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) - Commercial Operations, is a one-year Ontario college graduate certificate program. Students will learn the skills to operate, support, design, assemble, and maintain drones. This program will set you apart in the RPAS industry as a multifaceted professional, with a wide range of skill sets designed to meet the varied needs of industry, with an emphasis on aerial data collection and analysis.
The Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) - Commercial Operations program, located at Fanshawe's Norton Wolf School of Aviation & Aerospace Technology’s 80,000 square-foot hangar next to the London International Airport (CYXU), will cover all aspects of RPAS including electrical and electronic systems, communication, navigation, and data collection and use.


In just one year, the program combines practical training to conduct advanced RPAS operations, with specific data and processing knowledge and workflows required to create deliverables. These are quickly being adopted by many industries such as civil engineering, precision agriculture and construction technology. As a student, you will gain skills in photogrammetry and LiDAR workflows, and become highly adept at software such as Pix4D, QGIS and Virtual Surveyor.


Additionally, this program will provide graduates with entrepreneurial, research, and market analysis skills aimed at bridging the gap between the technical and business aspects of the growing and innovative RPAS industry.

Graduates of Fanshawe’s Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems Commercial Operations program possess the skills and experience to conduct commercial operations across a wide spectrum of industries looking for trained operators and maintenance personnel, including:

aerospace
agriculture
emergency response services
law enforcement and security
energy and power
environmental monitoring
geographical survey
government
humanitarian aid
industrial operations
civil infrastructure
mining, oil and gas
logistics; and
real estate
Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?

Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems Commercial Operations program:

UAV Pilot
Conduct flight operations in accordance with safety protocols and provide technical support.

Drone Engineer
Develop new imaging software utilizing high-resolution thermal imaging and geographic information system (GIS) mapping to support the design, permitting and deployment of telecommunication Infrastructure.

Drone Pilot
Operate remotely piloted aircraft systems in rural setting across North America with a focus on the agriculture sector.