Eyes in the Sky: USACE training expands UAS capabilities
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – Unmanned aircraft systems training opportunities are giving U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees a new way to collect information, improve safety and communicate projects across the organization.
The USACE Aviation Program Office, APO, provides a multi-day unmanned aircraft system, or UAS, training course designed to prepare employees to operate aircraft safely and within Army, USACE and Federal Aviation Administration standards and requirements.
Frank Volpe, APO Training Development and Course administrator, explained how UAS flights can be multifaceted.
“The information collected from the UAS can be used to update topographic maps, monitor construction progress and identify any erosion or any habitat impacts in a given area,” he said. “This approach is efficient in that the same information collected from the drone can be used in multiple departments saving resources and time by reducing site visits of personnel from various teams.”
The training emphasizes that a single UAS flight can support multiple disciplines depending on the aircraft and payload being used. Systems can be equipped with cameras, thermal sensors, LiDAR and other payloads, allowing information collected during one mission to support a variety of specialties.
The course demonstrated how UAS technology can help reduce costs and limit the risk. Instruction focused on analyzingthe cost of using a UAS with the risks to personnel and the cost of completing the same work through traditional methods.
Ray Illman, APO Aviation Safety officer, elaborated on the safety advantages of UAS operations.
“We can condense project and survey timelines, which eliminates the cost of multi-day field deployments while keeping our personnel safe by removing them from potentially hazardous areas,” he said.
Illman went on to provide examples of how UAS flights can reduce risk to USACE employees.
“It’s the difference between putting USACE employees on rappelling ropes for long durations of time for dam inspections or climbing over complex terrain like a break water, or bramble patches with venomous snakes, when we could launch a UAS with a LIDAR or photogrammetry package from a safe area,” he stated.
To be successful in the course, operators must master the full lifecycle of mission safety—from identifying and assessing hazards to implementing controls, supervising flights, and evaluating overall performance.
This safety-first mindset is put to the test during mission-planning scenarios. Before an aircraft takes off, students are taught how to navigate controlled and uncontrolled airspace, temporary flight restrictions, and other regulatory constraints. Students must demonstrate the ability to accurately analyze aviation weather including assessing visibility, cloud ceilings, wind, and temperature to determine how environmental factors will impact their flight. By treating weather and airspace as critical planning components, instructors prepare students for the realities of field operations.
This detailed preparation ensures that every flight aligns with the program's ultimate mission.
“Not only do we want to keep our operators and equipment safe, but we want to be an asset to the American people without endangering them or their property.Safe, coordinated operations are key to success of the USACE UAS program,” Illman continued.
The Aviation Program Office serves as the liaison between USACE and FAA, helping trainees understand the requirements associated with operating UAS as public aircraft.
The APO’s experience also helps employees navigate the regulatory requirements associated with UAS operations. The office’s cadre includes personnel with decades of experience in Army aviation as pilots, UAS operators and platoon leaders, giving the program a depth of operational knowledge that supports USACE’s growing UAS mission.
The APO developed the Operator’s Tool for Information Collection, or OPTIC, to provide a standardized approach to managing UAS operations across the Corps, which is used throughout the training.
OPTIC provides a digital resource for tracking personnel qualifications and currency, equipment status and mission planning. The system also incorporates risk analysis for UAS missions and daily flight operations, helping operators identify and address potential hazards before takeoff.
“The intuitive layout and ease of use have regulatory guidance and policy baked into the interface, so the software guides the operators in mission development, airspace integration, risk mitigation, and regulatory and policy adherence,” Volpe said.
For USACE employees who complete the training, the benefits extend beyond earning a qualification. The training gives operators the knowledge and confidence to incorporate UAS into their existing missions while reducing reliance on outside support.
Grant Holbrook, Huntsville Center Electronic Security Systems Electrical Engineer and certified UAS Operator, commented on the course’s overview of the UAS systems being utilized in the government environments.
“It helped widen our knowledge about the background efforts associated with operating drones in the Government environment, as well as giving the students hands on knowledge through simulators and actual field flights,” he said.
By developing qualified operators and providing standardized tools such as OPTIC, the APO is helping districts integrate UAS into their daily workflows.
The APO has trained more than 600 USACE UAS operators since 2020 through its evolving qualification training program, which combines classroom instruction with live flight operations.
As USACE continues expanding its UAS capabilities, the combination of trained personnel, standardized processes and emerging technology will allow the organization to collect accurate, timely information while reducing costs, improving efficiency and keeping employees out of hazardous or difficult-to-access environments.
“It is a very timely course since the Army is becoming more and more familiar with the benefits of utilizing UAS and how we can implement them to solve problems that previously would have taken more manpower and cost,” Holbrook explained.
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