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Six Indigenous students have graduated from a UAV pilots training course in Darwin, marking a significant milestone event for Six Seasons, a new alliance of highly motivated Indigenous Elders.
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The first cohort of the program were presented with their training certificates at a graduation ceremony that was attended by shadow minister for defence Richard Marles.
Marles posted a congratulations to the class on Twitter after the graduation, saying, "Congrats to the trainees for passing the first stage of the Indigenous Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Pilot Training Program. Indigenous partners Six Season continuously say, this program 'goes a way to bridging inter-generational disadvantage'."
The class consisted of four young men and two young women, with their graduation marking a "key step in building a new enterprise and a unique vision to nurture talent and grow self-esteem among young Indigenous Northern Territorians".
The program came about with Six Seasons teaming up with technology company Elbit Systems of Australia to provide remote pilot training and explore opportunities for various UAS platforms, with the students receiving theoretical and practical training at Batchelor Institute south of Darwin.
The students were tested on both of these components of the course, and the certificates they received will result in a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot Licence, issued by CASA.
Six Seasons was formed by a group of Indigenous Elders representing communities from the Tiwi Islands to Adelaide River, and "aims to use training in advanced unmanned aerial systems as the foundation of a new Northern Territory industry catering for the needs of government agencies and the resources and agricultural sectors".
