Gloucestershire, UK – 2 December, 2021: Skyborne Airline Academy is celebrating the achievements of two graduates who have successfully secured commercial drone pilot jobs with Flyby Technology and are currently supporting operations for an NHS trial.
In July 2020, Skyborne announced a unique partnership with Flyby Technology, the leader in UK drone training and operations, to offer its trainees the opportunity to build a career flying unmanned aircraft. James Kirk and Adam Prince joined Flyby Technology after completing their UK CAA Integrated ATPL programme with Skyborne. They are both currently employed as a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone pilot
Carl Haslem, Centre Director, Skyborne, says: “We’re very proud of James and Adam for not only completing their Integrated ATPL course with us, but for using their studies to embark on an exciting new career.
“At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Skyborne began implementing a number of initiatives to help its trainees improve their prospects of securing a job. Our partnership with Flyby Technology allows graduates to use their ATPL experience while enhancing their pilot skills and expanding their knowledge to operate commercial drones.”
Both graduates are currently working on a project with Apian for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, researching the role of drone technology to increase speed of delivery and access to chemotherapy drugs between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
James Kirk, Skyborne ATPL graduate and BVLOS drone pilot at Flyby Technology, says: “Although being a drone pilot and airline pilot seem vastly different, the training I received at Skyborne has been extremely beneficial to me. In our MCC course, we learned to operate in a multi-crew cockpit which at Flyby has helped me to prepare for the pilot monitoring role and develop effective communication within the team.
“The work we’re doing with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust is really interesting and rewarding. I’m glad to be a part of this team making impressive steps in automation for the medical industry.”
