Unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer UMS Skeldar is partnering with the Swedish Aviation Technical Training School to develop standards that the companies expected to be required for new European regulations on UAV operations. UMS Skeldar, a joint venture between Saab and the UMS Aero Group, makes the NATO-compliant rotary V-200 UAV and the light-tactical R-350 aircraft, which is not subject to ITAR export controls.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is currently working on regulations to cover all aspects of UAV operations. “Our partnership with the Aviation Technical Training School is proving to add weight to what we are trying to achieve,” explained David Willems, UMS Skeldar v-p of business development and strategy. “It is critical that we take on fully qualified staff members in areas of flight maintenance and avionics systems. As we continue to expand, we need people who are not only fully qualified in the operation of unmanned helicopters, but also those who can feed into the critical high-quality standards we always adhere to in this dynamic and fast-changing technology area.”

Switzerland-based UMS Skeldar (Chalet D11) develops and manufactures rotary UAVs for a variety of defense, civil security, and maritime applications. Its aircraft, which are available for both purchase and lease, feature the Sentient Vision Systems Visual Identification Detection and Ranging system. They can also carry sensors for electro-optical infrared and laser imaging detection and ranging.

At the Singapore Air Show, Willems is addressing the Singapore Aerospace Technology and Engineering conference at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. His presentation will focus on maritime operations for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in environments such as the South China Sea.