The ARCO Aviation Academy has called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to stop uncertified pilots from indiscriminately flying drones in the country, warning that if this practice is not regulated, the indiscriminate flying of drones poses a great danger to the airspace and its users.

The institute’s Chief Instructor, Samuel Sunday, made the appeal while speaking to newsmen during the graduation of 12 students who were trained and certified as Visual Line of Sight Pilots at the academy in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Sunday appealed to the NCAA to ensure only qualified and certified individuals were allowed to enter the airspace as drone pilots. He explained that the lack of strict adherence to the rules governing the flying of drones could result in interference with aeroplanes, helicopters, and other airspace users and risk the lives of passengers.

Sunday emphasized the necessity of proper training, stating: “Drone pilots must get this training to make the airspace safer. If you don’t come up for training and you feel you have the money to buy a drone, and you just put it in the air, you are endangering the lives of many Nigerians.”

He continued: “But coming out to get the training will give you the skills to make the airspace safer. I am saying that the regulator should stop those who don’t have certification from flying drones.”

He clearly outlined the danger posed by untrained operators, warning: “When you send your drones into the airspace without the requisite training, it may affect plane operations and endanger the lives of people.”

Sunday said the academy was established to stop the brain drain and capital flight caused by persons going abroad to seek VLOS certification due to the lack of such an institute in the country.

He proudly noted that the academy had so far trained and certified 14 drone pilots since its accreditation by the NCAA about three months ago, adding that the trainees passed through rigorous classroom and field practical sessions with emphasis on airspace safety.

Sunday further highlighted the academy’s unique status: “ARCO Aviation Academy is the first certified drone training school in Nigeria. It is accredited and certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and is the first to have received an Approved Aviation Organisation Certification.”

He reiterated the motivation behind its establishment, saying: “It was established to solve the demands for remote pilot certification and to stop people from going abroad to get drone pilot certification.”

He detailed the local economic benefits: “So, the establishment of the institute is to allow Nigerians to stay within the country and get this certification and to spend less on getting it. The presence of the academy has helped to generate revenue for the country.”

Sunday called on the graduates to be good ambassadors of the institute and to deploy their skills, knowledge, and good attitude in their operations.

Describing the future of drone piloting as wide, he said there were many opportunities in the drone space and encouraged people to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge.

He warned that operators not following the rules guiding the industry risked having their certificates revoked by the NCAA.