Tonga's first five certified drone pilots [1]
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 - 21:10. Updated on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 - 23:22.
Tonga has five new drone pilots, all civil servants, who have completed the first Certified Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Training, held in Nuku'alofa.
The Acting Prime Minister Hon. Samiu Vaipulu awarded the Pacific Island Part 102 Professional Pilot certificates to the first five Certified Drone Pilots for Tonga on 30 September.
The certified pilots are ‘Apai Moala (Geology representative), Pomaama Liu (Communication Department representative), James Panuve (Civil Aviation representative), Mele Tu’ipulotu (Communication Departmentt representative) and ‘Ofa Masiwawa (NEMO representative).
An unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. Drones are operated by a ground-based controller using a system of communications.
The Unmanned Aircraft System, or also known as Drones Training, was hosted by the UN Agency - World Food Program - Emergency Telecommunications Cluster Pacific team, that included WFP Pacific ETC Coordinator Mission Lead, John Dovale; DWC UAS Lead Training Facilitator, Salmendra Ratnesh Chand, and WFP UAS training support facilitator, Aleen Elisha Prasad.
Stan ‘Ahio, Senior Telecom Engineer at Department of Communications, MEIDECC said the training was conducted so that these government officials are fully aware of the pros and cons of flying a drone.
This included knowing their standard checklist and procedures to follow before your drone lift off, like restricted areas, maximum height and distance, as well as operating frequencies inbuilt on the drone, he said.
“The participants were selected from key ministries who play a key role in operations such as disaster response. The funding and seats were limited so we kept it within the Government. At the end, they were awarded with a UAS Pilot license and so far, we know, they are the first [in Tonga].”