An Australian university has become the first in the nation certified to run a commercial drone course by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA).

The University of Adelaide is offering the five-day course leading to the award of a CASA-certified Remote Pilot Licence (RePL).

Under Australian Civil Aviation Safety Regulations, the operation of drones over 2kg for commercial purposes needs certification.

The new intensive course is run on University of Adelaide campuses by a team of CASA-certified drone operators and trainers from the University’s Unmanned Research Aircraft Facility.

“Drone technology is rapidly evolving and growing in popularity in a range of industries, from agriculture and mining through to engineering and defence,” Facility Director Professor Lian Pin Koh said.

“As Australia continues to build a future focused on innovation and knowledge-intensive industries, we as a university are proud to contribute to the training of a highly-skilled workforce, enabling them to take full advantage of the emerging employment opportunities.”

The Unmanned Research Aircraft Facility that runs the course is renowned for using drones for conservation projects, including anti-poaching missions in Sumatra and Koala mapping on Kangaroo Island.

The course covers all practical and theoretical syllabus and requirements of CASA for a commercial drone license, including air legislation, aerodynamics, meteorology and flight training for both multi-rotor and fixed wing drones.

The course is open to members of the public and costs AU$3500.

Initial courses are being run for students and staff, with the first open course planned for August.

The university expects to run the course for multi-rotor UAVs up to 7 kg 4-6 times a year.