On the wings of a drone: how UAV operators are trained in Russia
Drone operator is now not only a military specialty, but also a civilian profession, obtained upon graduation from a Russian institute. Izvestia talked to educational institutions and found out how the learning process is going, which professions will open up to graduates and how drone farming can be used in civilian life.
The non-existence and the past of drones
Today, unmanned aerial vehicles are a natural and at the same time practical tool for solving many tasks, military and infrastructural, aimed at improving the reliability of the industrial and residential environment.
Alexey Ravinsky, CEO of Launch Group, noted that in the process of technological connection of large facilities such as factories, shopping malls and data centers, these technologies make it possible to effectively inspect networks and sites, solving several tasks at once. For example, drones use thermal imaging cameras to detect leaks on gas pipelines, and laser scanning and photogrammetry help identify damage to power lines.
— For us, drones are a natural tool that allows us to calculate risks in advance, optimize routes and increase the reliability of future infrastructure. Thanks to this, customers get access to capacity faster, and the regions have a real opportunity for accelerated development," the expert noted.
According to him, it is in this sense that drones can be considered as a practical tool, since they make the survey and connection processes more predictable and accessible even where traditional methods are too expensive or take a long time. For investors and customers, this is a new standard of efficiency and a serious competitive advantage, the very "niche" that allows them to save resources and reduce business risks.
Artyom Gurkin, head of the e-com sales department at ATU Express, said that in Russia drones are actively used in hard—to-reach regions, for example, in Yakutia to deliver orders across the river between Yakutsk and Nizhny Bestyakh. This is especially important in winter, when the winter road (a temporary highway) is closed and the ferries are not working yet. Delivery is carried out with the participation of operators who, if necessary, adjust the route.
— The founders of the project claim that such transportation is already paying off. Drones will be able to deliver not only food, but also medicines, donor materials and any other necessary goods. I would like to remind you that two years ago, Russian Post considered the possibility of unmanned mail delivery, but the project was curtailed, largely due to legislative restrictions," Gurkin said.
Operator's eye and blade
Samara University named after Koroleva trains specialists in unmanned aerial vehicles both in the framework of additional education and bachelor's degree within the framework of the federal project "Personnel for UAS". In 2024, the number of students amounted to more than a thousand people.
The University has been training students in the fields of aircraft engineering, engine engineering, and radio electronics for many years, but special disciplines and tracks have been introduced to develop the industry, such as maintenance and flight operations. According to the Samara State University, this is the only way to educate and train an engineer who is able to competently link all issues related to the development of unmanned vehicles.
"They are valuable primarily for their professional competencies in their specific fields, and in terms of unmanned systems they only need additional training," explained the experts of the Samara State University.
According to them, the requirements are standard: a school student must submit a document on graduation from grades 11 of a secondary school, and if a student or university graduate wants to improve their qualifications, they need to have an education in engineering or the operation of aviation equipment. In turn, university professors have more than 10 years of experience in the field of UAS and actively cooperate with industrial partners to commercialize their developments.
— First, they teach how to "fly" on simulators, then students control drones in a small gym, and then they practice practical skills at a university training airfield, — added the Samara State University.
Samara State University is actively engaged in the commercialization of its developments in the field of UAS, organizing small-scale and serial production of components in cooperation with industrial partners. The University's Center for Unmanned Systems (CBS) has developed 11 types of UAVs and 8 software products that have been commercialized through the sale of licenses. Significant developments include an autopilot for controlling UAVs in radio silence, vertical takeoff drones with a hybrid propulsion system, and the Photon ejection system.
Head of the Military Training Center of Omsk State Technical University (OmSTU) Konstantin Grymzin told Izvestia how the professional training program "Specialist in the operation of unmanned aircraft systems" is being implemented at the university.
— The program trains not just operators, but full-fledged engineering and technical personnel capable of ensuring reliable and safe operation of drones, — said Grymzin.
The training takes place in a full-time format and includes 72 academic hours covering theory and practice. The classes are conducted by teachers of the OmSTU military training center who have completed advanced training in the additional professional program "Practice and methods of training UAV operators." And students gain a fundamental understanding of the device and the principles of operation of all its components, study the operational documentation, lists and contents of all types of maintenance.
The program also includes occupational safety and fire safety standards, which, according to Grymzin, is an important part of the training. Practical exercises include training on simulators, drone control in the laboratory and at the training grounds of military units.
— In the future, such a specialist will become an indispensable link in any operation using ALS. The acquired competencies allow him to independently manage the full life cycle of the drone: from flight preparation to emergency operations," Grymzin added.
South Ural State University is implementing a professional training program "Operator of unmanned aircraft systems" to train specialists capable of operating drones with a maximum take-off weight of up to 30 kg.
The program includes theoretical and practical classes where students learn how to pilot drones, aerial monitoring, photography, video recording of objects, and study legislation in the field of drone operation, including registration procedures and flight permits.
Practical classes are conducted using modern simulators and certified drone models such as DJI NEO, DJI Mavic 2S, DJI 3Pro and Geoscan 801. The teachers of the program are experienced specialists from the SUSU Military Training Center.
"Examples of successful cooperation with employers include cooperation with the Main Forest Department of the Chelyabinsk Region, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and representatives of fishing farms in the region," South Ural State University noted.
The program is implemented within the framework of the federal project "Active measures to promote employment" and is completely free for participants. The training is aimed at training specialists for various industries such as agriculture, construction, forestry and fisheries. The following categories of citizens are allowed to enroll in the free educational program: citizens over the age of 50, unemployed people actively looking for work, mothers on parental leave, and other groups of the population that meet the requirements of federal employment support projects.
The profile "Unmanned systems" is actively developing within the framework of the training course "Management in Technical systems" at Kuban State Technological University, Evgeny Dyakonov, Vice-rector for Academic Affairs at KubSTU, told Izvestia.
Students learn how to set up, calibrate, program, and maintain drones. The Polytechnic Drone School has been operating at the university since 2024, and professional training programs, including "Operator of Unmanned Aircraft Systems" and "UAS Maintenance and Repair Technician", have been launched since 2025. A course on countering drones and protecting against threats is also available.
Practical training includes working on simulators and real drones in cooperation with the Federation of Drone Racing of the Krasnodar Territory and the Regional Sports Training Center.
"Students, under the guidance of teachers with experience in controlling drones and who have completed additional training, actively participate in applied projects and research, from calibration and firmware of drones to monitoring infrastructure, agriculture and ecology," said Evgeny Dyakonov.
According to him, graduates of the programs receive broad career opportunities, as the university actively cooperates with industry experts and companies to strengthen the practice-oriented component. The skills acquired during the training are in demand in such areas as oil and gas, agriculture, energy, urban planning and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
At the same time, education is available to everyone from the age of 18, without restrictions on the level of education. All that is needed is a technical mindset and an interest in engineering systems. To enroll in higher education programs, you must pass a competition on general terms.
St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation (GUAP) offers training programs for operators and engineers of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at several levels.
At GUAP College, students receive basic knowledge of UAS within the specialty "Aviation Instruments and Complexes", and for higher education, the university offers a five-year engineering program focused on the maintenance and control of drones, covering the topics of electrical equipment, on-board devices, control systems and navigation.
The training process also includes courses in aerial photography, 3D modeling, UAS repair, and flight mission programming, with an emphasis on first-person FPV piloting. Separate courses are devoted to aircraft—type vehicles - students learn how to create missions for unmanned aircraft, plan routes at a ground control station, work with flight permits and analyze the results of missions of fixed-wing drones.
The practice is carried out at the modern educational and laboratory base of the university. Specifically for this purpose, GUAP has created a Laboratory for unmanned aircraft systems, equipped with everything necessary for operator training. The laboratory is divided into several zones: workstations for modeling, designing and configuring drones and an experimental aerobatic zone.
— Today, drones are used almost everywhere: high-tech industries are in dire need of specialists in their operation. This is due to the rapid growth of the UAS segment in the global market and the expansion of tasks solved by drones. The range of career paths after graduation is extremely wide, and the demand for qualified UAS specialists is steadily growing, which provides graduates with good employment prospects.
To enroll in the drone operator training program, applicants need a solid foundation in the exact sciences. High passing scores are due to the fact that successful education requires strong knowledge in mathematics, basic physics, and information technology. In addition to academic training, students are expected to have an interest in aviation technology and independent work skills — UAS management implies great responsibility and an attentive attitude to safety. There are usually no medical restrictions for training drones, but future operators are instilled with high discipline and responsibility, comparable to the requirements for traditional aviation pilots.
Courses on unmanned systems management at GUAP are taught by qualified teachers with experience in the aerospace industry. The program is managed by Natalia Ovchinnikova, and practical training is organized by Anton Kostin, Head of the Laboratory of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The teaching staff also includes scientists and engineers with high expertise, including Nikolai Mayorov, Doctor of Technical Sciences, who oversees the development of competencies in the field of UAS.
GUAP conducts active research and development (R&D) on the subject of unmanned aircraft systems, and students have the opportunity to participate directly in them. The university's teams won prizes in NTO competitions in flying robotics, in specialized tracks of engineering competitions, which confirms the high level of training.
GUAP also actively cooperates with industrial partners to facilitate the employment and professional growth of its graduates. Among other partners of the program are JSC Gyrooptics, JSC Concern Central Research Institute Electropribor, Skyris, JSC Ramenskoye Instrument Engineering Design Bureau, Kronshtadt Company, as well as KB Arsenal and other industry enterprises.
A flight into eternity
Vitaly Popov, director of the Softline Solutions Infrastructure Project Implementation department, noted that a revolution has already taken place in a number of areas — a few years ago, the KAMAZ unmanned vehicle successfully passed operational tests, and in the field of culture and entertainment there are already full-fledged drone shows and interactive projects, similar to those that we have seen in the "World Wild West" or at various modern festivals.
Popov stressed that the potential for the use of drones is almost limitless, and everything depends on the readiness of society. Drones are already performing tasks in areas such as ecology, construction, and helping people with disabilities.
In the next 5-10 years, the key trends in the drone operator profession will be artificial intelligence, AR/VR technologies, high-speed Internet and cybersecurity. The role of the operator is gradually shifting from manual control to analytics and critical thinking: now it becomes the last point of control that intervenes if the system fails.
Popov said that the widespread use of drones can significantly change the appearance of cities and everyday life, creating new infrastructure elements such as mini-airports and charging platforms.
— City centers will be freed from part of the traffic flow, which will create more public spaces and green areas. Just as cars once had to introduce traffic rules, so drones will need their own regulations — perhaps even virtual traffic lights and markings. The massive switch to drones will reduce the number of trucks and couriers on the streets, and part of the delivery will go into the air. What has already become the usual "one-hour delivery" in megacities may become a reality for remote settlements in the future. This is especially important for medicine — vital drugs can be quickly delivered to any point," the expert emphasizes.
Of course, Vitaly Popov notes, new challenges are emerging in this regard: regulation of airspace, issues of drone autonomy and charging, risks of crashes, cyber attacks and data protection. But these problems can be solved. The general logic is clear: The benefits are obvious, and the spread of drones is a matter of time and public preparedness.
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