FIRST RESPONDER DRONE CLASSES

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5 DAY UAS EMERGENCY RESPONSE SPECIALIST PROGRAM

The UAS Emergency Response Specialist Program is Darkwing Drones’ flagship 5-day immersive training course designed specifically for public safety drone teams, first responders, emergency managers, and search and rescue personnel. This comprehensive program combines classroom instruction, hands-on flight operations, and real-world mission scenarios to prepare students to confidently deploy drones during critical incidents.

Throughout the course participants will develop advanced skills in:

Thermal Operations for First Responders – Thermal imaging theory, search techniques, fireground applications, and night operations.
Drone Search & Rescue Operations – Mission planning, search tactics, victim location strategies, and team integration.
Drone Mapping for Natural Disasters & Large Events – Rapid mapping workflows, situational awareness products, damage assessment, and incident documentation.
Drone Reconnaissance: Tactics, Tools & Execution – Intelligence gathering, overwatch operations, risk assessment, and tactical deployment strategies.
Drone Land Search Task Force Operations – Integrating drones with ground search teams, mapping platforms, and coordinated search management techniques.

Students train using realistic public safety scenarios that emphasize decision-making, mission execution, and operational readiness. Upon completion, attendees will leave with practical skills, proven workflows, and the confidence to support emergency operations in the field.

Program Highlights

5 Days of Intensive Training
Hands-On Flight Operations
Real-World Public Safety Scenarios
Expert Instruction from Nic Novelli
Search & Rescue, Disaster Response, and Tactical Applications
Mission-Focused Training for Immediate Field Deployment

Prepared to Deploy. Ready to Respond. When every second counts, your drone team must be ready to provide critical intelligence, enhance situational awareness, and support lifesaving operations. The UAS Emergency Response Specialist Program delivers the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to make that happen.

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5 DAY UNIFIED RESPONSE DRONE ACADEMY -TEAM DEVELOPMENT COURSE

Take your public safety drone program from initial certification to a fully operational, mission-ready capability with the Unified Response Drone Academy Team Development Course. This intensive 5-day training program is designed for first responders, emergency managers, and public safety agencies looking to build, strengthen, or expand their UAS operations.

The course combines three critical areas of drone program development into one comprehensive training experience:

3-Day FAA Part 107 Test Prep Course – Prepare for and pass the FAA Remote Pilot Certification exam while gaining a solid foundation in safe and legal drone operations.
1-Day UAS Program Management Course – Learn how to build, manage, document, and sustain a successful public safety drone program, including policies, procedures, training standards, and operational readiness.
1-Day Public Safety Drone Team Leader Course – Develop leadership skills needed to coordinate personnel, manage missions, make operational decisions, and effectively deploy drone resources during emergency incidents.

What You'll Gain:

Hands-on, practical instruction
Real-world public safety applications
Mission-ready operational planning
Program development and sustainability strategies
Leadership and team management skills
FAA certification support and guidance

Whether you're launching a new drone team or enhancing an existing program, this course provides the knowledge, tools, and leadership framework needed to create a professional, effective, and sustainable public safety UAS program.

UAS SEARCH & RESCUE OPERATIONS

Search, and Rescue course is designed to equip students with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to operate UAS systems in high-pressure search and rescue (SAR) operations. The course focuses on the integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), into SAR missions.

This class emphasizes the critical coordination between UAS teams and ground rescue teams to maximize efficiency and success. Hands-on training scenarios will include search techniques in challenging environments, aerial reconnaissance, and rapid response planning. Students also explore case studies of SAR missions to understand the importance of decision-making, adaptability, teamwork, mission planning, and emergency response protocols. By the end of the course, participants should feel confident in their ability to contribute to life-saving operations, rapid search and rescue flying techniques, advanced image analysis software, thermal marking to support ground crew, lost persons behavior, integration within Incident Command and scenario based flying missions.

PUBLIC SAFETY DRONE THERMAL OPERATIONS

Elevate your drone skills with our Thermal Imaging Course! Explore the fascinating realm of thermal imaging technology and its vital uses in Public Safety. You'll gain insights into thermal capabilities, command operations, and data analysis methods. We'll cover theories, camera settings, environmental considerations, and tips for a successful flight mission, featuring hands-on training, maneuvers, best practices, and scenario-based flying. To integrate all the information we highly recommend taking our Flagship Search & Rescue class before enrolling in Public Safety Drone Thermal Class.

DRONE LAND SEARCH TASK FORCE

Integrating UAS mapping, SARTopo, and Ground Search Team coordination for real world search missions. This hands-on course teaches public safety professionals how to effectively deploy drones during missing person and wilderness search operations through mission planning, mapping workflows, thermal imaging applications, search tactics, and coordinated field operations. Students will gain practical experience combining aerial intelligence with ground team operations to improve search efficiency, communication, and mission success.

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PUBLIC SAFETY DRONE TEAM LEADER

This Public Safety Drone Team Leader course focuses on effectively managing flight missions. It covers team capabilities, crew resource management, mission planning, standard operating procedures, best practices, response protocols, equipment use, operational oversight, and mission supervision. A successful drone mission relies on a skilled leader to coordinate efforts between the flight team, ground crews, and incident command. The drone team leader is the critical link that ensures mission success.

DRONE RECONNAISSANCE OPERATIONS: TACTICS, TOOLS & EXECUTION

This Drone Recon course is designed for special response team operations during large-scale incidents, including situations involving barricaded suspects near structures and the detection of potential IED threats around buildings and vehicles. Participants will learn best practices and advanced flight maneuvers to effectively scan for and identify threats to public safety and the environment. The course also covers how to mitigate these hazards using aerial perspectives and outlines the appropriate actions to take during such critical events.

DRONE MAPPING FOR NATURAL DISASTERS & LARGE EVENTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY OPERATIONS

Welcome to our Drone Mapping course. In this course, you will acquire a thorough understanding of flight planning, mapping drones, and data collection methodologies. We will explore data capturing and processing, along with the relevant applications and software utilized in the industry and how to integrate mapping into Public Safety operations. Prepare to enhance your proficiency and leverage the capabilities of drone technology effectively.

FIRST RESPONDER DRONES FOR 3D MODELS

Utilize drones to support traffic accident reconstruction and crime scene analysis. Leverage drone technology to generate detailed 2D and 3D imagery of incident sites. Drones offer a powerful and efficient method for documenting and measuring crime scenes, accidents and structure fires. Quickly capture high-resolution photos and videos within minutes and seamlessly integrate the data into public safety operations.

START A PUBLIC SAFETY DRONE PROGRAM

This course is specifically designed to assist Public Safety agencies in establishing a drone program. It covers a wide range of topics, including sUAS administration policies, FAA regulations and procedures, department standard operating guidelines, and flying operations. Additionally, the class provides guidance on setting up mobile live streaming drone command operations, pilot best practices, drone team formation, drone budgeting, interoperability operations, and recurrent pilot training. Our goal is to help establish a successful drone program with ease and efficiency.

PART 107 TEST PREP CLASS

Become a licensed Remote Pilot by passing your FAA Part 107 written exam with this test prep class. Nic has been teaching aviation students for over 10 years. This is an accelerated class that will help you overcome those tricky FAA test questions. Class covers FAA Regulations, Loading & Performance, Airspace, Weather Theory and Operations.

ONLINE PART 107 TEST PREP

Enroll in our 4-week online Part 107 test prep course, which offers 24 hours of thorough online instruction. Each week consists of 6 hours of video lessons and interactive support. Engage in live Q&A sessions with the instructor each week. This course is tailored to ensure your success in passing the FAA Part 107 exam.

TACTICAL INDOOR FLYING FOR FIRST RESPONDER OPERATIONS

Welcome to our Tactical Drone Course! Here, you'll learn how to operate your drone indoors with confidence, focusing on Public Safety interior operations. Our curriculum covers various types of drones, their applications, and essential tips and tricks, insightful case studies. You'll also gain hands-on experience flying in GPS-denied environments, ensuring you're well-prepared for real-world.

MISSION READY FLIGHT SKILLS

Take your drone flying to the next level with this immersive, hands-on course designed to build real world flight proficiency. Students spend most of the day in the air completing flight exercises, obstacle courses, precision hovering, payload delivery missions, scavenger hunt challenges, emergency procedures, and mission-based scenarios. This course is ideal for public safety, commercial, and recreational pilots looking to develop the confidence and skills needed for complex drone operations.