With the increasing commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems, a new industry is emerging. And as the UAS sector grows, not only is the demand for qualified professionals rising, but entirely new job roles are also emerging—from remote pilots and UAS flight operations managers to technical specialists. The Competence Group Qualification & Training (CG Q&T) within UAV DACH is driving the development, definition, and harmonization of European standards for qualification and training in this area. For example, based on ISO 23665:2026, the CG is currently developing the “Industry Trusted Remote Pilot,” a modular training program for future remote pilots.
The Competence Group is led by Andreas Ritter, Head of UAS Operations at UAS365 GmbH. He brings decades of experience from manned aviation to the group: as a former airline captain and head of various departments within the Lufthansa Group, including Head of Flight Operations Procedures & Technology. His professional focus is therefore on adapting best practices from manned aviation for training and operational processes in the UAS industry. “In doing so, I draw primarily on my experience from manned aviation,” explains Andreas. “I try to establish in unmanned aviation what works well there—for example, high-quality training, adherence to procedures, and a just culture.”
For Andreas, one thing is clear: technological progress cannot be stopped, but we can help shape it. People should always be at the center of this process, because progress must benefit everyone. There is only one airspace, which manned and unmanned aviation must share, and this works best through cooperation and working together, not against one another. However, in his view, safety is indispensable and non-negotiable.
This is exactly the attitude Andreas found at UAV DACH, and that is why he is involved in the association, because: “Together, we can make a better difference than we can alone.”