For the first time, a private school for training UAV operators has officially received approval from Ukraine's Defence Ministry. The Kyiv-based Global Drone Academy got the go-ahead through a simplified procedure.

Moving forward, the school will train both military personnel and civilians in operating drones while also equipping graduates with a relevant military specialty. This will enable them to serve in a specialized area within the Armed Forces.

This initiative was part of a pilot project to certify private UAV operators' schools, which was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine two weeks ago. This initiative aims to expand the pool of specialists trained in Ukraine and improve the educational quality of training in private schools. Ultimately, certified companies are required to adhere to specific criteria.

Global Drone Academy has been operating since 2022. Since then, the school has graduated more than 3 700 UAV operators. The alumni include service members from the Special Operations Forces, the Defence Intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.