Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Technician

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Technician. A Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Technician dismantles, re-assembles, maintains, tests, diagnoses and repairs Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). A qualified learner will be able to: • Dismantle, inspect, assess, repair, re-assemble and test Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. • Perform scheduled and preventative maintenance on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. • Diagnose and repair faults in Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems.

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution reshapes how we live, work, and communicate, it is impacting government, education, healthcare, commerce and almost every aspect of life. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) technology is at the heart of these changes and the development of the skills and knowledge to thrive in this environment has a great potential for job creation and poverty alleviation in South African communities. It will increase the potentiality of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Technicians to be employed, while ensuring the upward mobility of individuals with the entrepreneurial spirit to move confidently towards self-employment. The exponential growth for the use of an RPAS, which are also known as drones, for work and commercial purposes in industries such as emergency services, the police service, research, collection, and surveying has led to a huge demand in the market for more qualified personnel to attend to various issues that arise with the usage and support for RPAS operations. RPAS are already being used as a business tool to access high, difficult, or unsafe places and as a result, many sectors are ramping up their usage, using them for disaster management, infrastructure, agriculture, surveillance, and resource purposes. RPAS are being considered to move freight and are even being used in a military sense. This qualification reflects the workplace-based needs of the RPAS environment in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) that are expressed by this growing upward trend in the market. Currently the RPAS repair environment is proliferated with individuals who are trained on the job without formal qualifications, hence the need for a formal qualification targeted at people who wish to join the RPAS repair industry, or those that are currently working in this industry as salespersons and repairers. They will be performing duties related to fault-finding, repair and maintenance of electronic equipment related to the RPAS for disaster management, infrastructure, agriculture, surveillance, commercial, military, etc. This qualification will empower the learners with the required skills that will allow them to enter this market of RPAS with the skills and knowledge to work either in the sales stream or the technical stream. It will permit individuals to increase their employability or become self-employed by starting their own small businesses with a potential of employing others. Furthermore, the qualification will benefit societies by ensuring better quality products and services. The sector will benefit from Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Technicians with a set of competencies aligned to industry regulated standards for products and services. The economy will benefit from increased revenue due to increased employment opportunities, entrepreneurship due to emerging SMME's that will create employment and pay tax. It will also allow the country to embark on localisation of manufacturing of electronic devices and components, once there are enough skilled personnel capable of innovation locally. The availability of suitably qualified Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Technicians will permit quick recovery for faulty RPAS by reducing business interruptions for individuals and businesses and allowing economic activities to carry on. This will also improve the safe working environment especially as these devices are in the proximity of the public. Upon completion, the qualification will provide learners with opportunities for professional development and career advancement within the broader RPAS environment, including, RPAS Pilot, Senior Technicians, Team Leaders, Master Technicians, Sales Officers, Sales Representatives, Senior Sales Representatives, RPAS Centre Managers, etc. There is no professional registration needed for the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Technician. There are no similar qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

a) Learners will gain access to the qualification through RPL for Access as provided for in the QCTO RPL Policy. RPL for access is conducted by accredited education institution, skills development provider or workplace accredited to offer that specific qualification/part qualification. b) Learners who have acquired competencies of the modules of a qualification or part-qualification will be credited for modules through RPL. c) RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result. Entry Requirements: • NQF Level 3 qualification.

• Demonstrate the ability to remove, update and install software and firmware used for remotely piloted aircraft systems according to manufacturer's specifications and procedures.
• Assess, dismantle, repair, and reassemble remotely piloted aircraft systems hardware according to standard operating procedures.
• Diagnose and upgrade remotely piloted aircraft systems software according to standard operating procedures.