RAN ScanEagle UAS Training Goes Virtual

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has qualified its first batch of Insitu ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) pilots and maintainers using a combination of remote and on-site training.

Personnel from the RAN’s 822X Squadron, its first Maritime Tactical UAS Squadron were introduced to Insitu Pacific’s new remote training and simulation capabilities, where elements of the UAS course were delivered virtually along with onsite instruction.

Training was provided at Brisbane, where Insitu Pacific’s training and simulation facility is located and HMAS Albatross in Nowra, New South Wales, home base of 822X Squadron.

Insitu Pacific made use of multimedia technology to deliver remote classroom theory lessons and flight simulation training along with virtual equipment demonstrations.

The combination of virtual and onsite training delivered an effective outcome for the RAN, said CMDR Philip Woodward CO 822X Squadron. “It not only addressed the challenges posed by Covid-19, but also reduced the time away from home for some trainees and some of the instructors. There is significant potential to deliver flexible and cost effective training.”

“The completion of our first remote course elements for RAN achieved great results, with all students successfully passing the course, and remote instruction remaining at the same high quality as onsite course delivery,” Andrew Duggan, Managing Director Insitu Pacific said in a release.

According to Duggan, the company was already in advanced planning stages of incorporating remote simulation and training for the RAN which was further speeded up due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

One of the other benefits of remote training is that it can also deliver shorter, cost effective training and simulation based activities, with the future ability to conduct standard training courses, including re-certification and scenario-specific courses around Australian bases or overseas.

The RAN commenced flight operations with a leased ScanEagle UAS in March 2013. It went on to acquire two ScanEagle systems in June 2015, which were deployed during Operation Manitou in June 2017 as part of their operational evaluation.

822X Squadron was commissioned on 25 October 2018. ‘X’ reflects the Squadron's experimental and developmental nature.