Online Drone Training During Furlough With Heliguy

• Furloughed staff can use the time to train to become a drone pilot through heliguy™ Blackbox;
• Heliguy Blackbox is an online drone training platform offering on-demand content, enabling you to learn when and where you want;
• Training during furlough will help you hit the ground running and be in a strong position once the Coronavirus pandemic is over;
• Training online allows you to learn from the safety and comfort of your own home.

UPDATE (June 8, 2020): The European drone regulations which were set to start in the UK in July, and then in November, have been delayed for a second time and will now start on December 31, 2020. Read more about it and how it affects you here.

Drone enthusiasts who find themselves furloughed during the Coronavirus pandemic can use this time to upskill by undertaking online UAV training through heliguy™ Blackbox.

While it may be tempting to spend your downtime relaxing, this period can be utilised to proactively prepare for your post-C19 future, ahead of the return to normality and the business bounce back.

After all, anybody who is put on furlough (the scheme has recently been extended until June) by their employer under the Government’s Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme can still participate in training courses.

So whether you want to kick-start a career in the drone industry, become a qualified pilot to maximise your aircraft’s potential, or continue your learning, heliguy™ Blackbox is the ideal training solution to help you build and expand your UAV knowledge from the safety and comfort of your own home.

Our recently-launched e-learning hub offers a comprehensive mix of on-demand and easily-accessible content - including pre-recorded videos, task sheets, quizzes and coursework - which can be viewed wherever and whenever you like.

Heliguy Blackbox is offering the A2 CofC and GVC courses, in line with the new European regulations commencing on December 31, 202 (delayed from July, and then November, 2020).

Commercial drone pilots have the potential to earn up to £65,000 a year, according to figures from the National Careers Service, while the A2 CofC/GVC will be required by many UK drone pilots to help them get the most out of their drone once the new rules begin - so furlough and the C-19 lockdown period offers the perfect chance to dedicate some quality time to online drone training. For more information about which drone training applies to you, click here.

heliguy™ Head of Training, Ben Shirley, said: “We are living in unprecedented times, and if you are someone who has been furloughed or, worst case, in a redundancy scenario while you are at home, you can take this opportunity to upskill yourself and train to become a qualified drone pilot.

“Maybe you have never before had the time to pursue a drone training course, or perhaps you might now be thinking of switching to a career in the ever-evolving and rewarding drone industry, or you might even be a business who wants to utilise drones and put your staff through training? Whatever the scenario, heliguy™ Blackbox provides the perfect solution to hone your skills, remotely, during the furlough and lockdown period.

“If you can upskill during furlough, then you can get ahead of the game and be in the best position possible and hit the ground running when the Coronavirus crisis is over.

“Heliguy Blackbox offers content in a digestible and easily-accessible digital format and our virtual classroom provides a safe and secure learning environment.

"Online training is the future and provides numerous benefits for course candidates. One of the biggest advantages of learning via Blackbox is that you can replay our media and download the learning material for an effective, thorough and convenient educational experience.”

heliguy™ Blackbox: Benefits And Costs

As well as providing an on-demand and flexible learning solution, Blackbox offers its members a range of perks, including:

• Live and interactive training support from our expert instructors, who will be on the other end of a video stream to navigate you through the course, offer valuable support, and answer questions in real-time;
• Benefit from being part of a virtual online community with your fellow cohort of e-learning course candidates;
• Bonus material, such as extra courses, in-depth industry blogs, exclusive hardware discounts through heliguy™ and our industry partners, and Operations Manual renewals.

However, we are giving any heliguy™ PfCO candidate who has not yet completed their course the option to transfer for FREE to either the A2 CofC or GVC online course.

This offer applies to:

• Any candidate who has completed the PfCO Ground School with heliguy™, but not passed their Flight Assessment. This only applies to candidates who started the PfCO course from 2018 onward;
• Any candidate who is about to start our PfCO course before May 1, 2020, and cannot complete before the CAA extension period elapses (September 1, 2020).

Any candidate who has already booked onto a heliguy™ traditional classroom course for the A2 CofC or GVC can transfer to the online training.

Because Heliguy Blackbox (which can also be accessed via app) is more than just an online training platform – offering a wealth of helpful industry information – membership is free for current or past heliguy™ candidates, to help them continue their professional development.

Why Choose Heliguy?

heliguy™ is a CAA-approved NQE (National Qualified Entity) and RAE (Recognised Assessment Entity), and Blackbox takes all the benefits of our traditional classroom-based Ground School and transforms it into a digestible digital format.

Our expert training team has led tuition for a substantial number of drone pilots, including operators from major companies and organisations such as Balfour Beatty, the BBC, Network Rail, Manchester City FC, Sellafield Sites, and Derbyshire Police. The team is also accredited to deliver Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training courses.

A total of 99.6% of heliguy™ candidates would recommend our drone training to a friend or colleague.

As an added bonus, our training team maintains contact with our candidates after they have obtained their qualification, and provides continual support via email, telephone and Blackbox.

With more than a decade of experience, heliguy™ prides itself on being a one-stop-shop provider and a leading authority in the drone industry. This means that our experienced team can support every step of your drone journey, from training through to offering a vast inventory of hardware, spares and specialist parts, drone rental and leasing, DJI-authorised drone repair and creating innovative and bespoke solutions through our R&D department.

For more information about drone training, heliguy™ Blackbox, or to find out how heliguy™ can start, support, or scale your drone programme, send us an email or give us a call.