The National Association of Safe Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and Fresh Air Educators, Inc. are proud to announce a new partnership that will provide exemplary training in the use of drones for law enforcement and first responders in the maritime domain.

Fresh Air Educators has been delivering online boating safety courses under the NASBLA banner of approval since 2003 and recently launched DRONEcourse.com in an effort to help aspiring remote pilots obtain the necessary training to take the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Part 107 exam and obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate.

“Having partnered with NASBLA on a variety of initiatives in boating safety over the last 15 years, we’re excited to apply our proven training and certification process to the drone and remote pilot space,” says Kerry Moher, VP of Business Development at Fresh Air Educators. “This is a rapidly expanding industry and it’s clear that first responders would have a practical use for this training.”

There have been a growing number of maritime first responders who rely on drones and other unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to assist in their day-to-day duties and emergency response situations. The Federal Aviation Administration passed the Small Unmanned Aircraft Rule (Part 107) in the summer of 2016 and with that, a large number of authorities now require a Remote Pilot Certificate in order to operate their drones. This new training opportunity provides the information and resources needed to take FAA’s Part 107 exam in order to obtain the certificate.

“NASBLA is excited to offer the Fresh Air Educator's online Drone Safety Course to its members as part of a blended learning opportunity for agencies building a public safety unmanned aircraft systems program,” says Dave Considine, NASBLA BOAT Program Director. “The role of drones in public safety is rapidly emerging, and this online course allows officers and first responders to complete their FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate at their own pace. NASBLA's Boat Operations and Training (BOAT) Program will be launching a Public Safety UAS Operations course very soon and this online training component will allow agencies more time for in-person training to focus on building their UAS program and become proficient in actual UAS flight operations.”

In partnership with NASBLA, Fresh Air Educators has developed a white-labelled NASBLA Drone Safety Course available online at www.nasbla.dronecourse.com. NASBLA will be offering maritime law enforcement officers and first responders the opportunity to take in-person drone flight training through its BOAT Program’s exportable training model.

Fresh Air Educators is a leading provider of online drone safety training, education and in-person Part 107 test preparation. For more information please visit www.dronecourse.com.  

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators is a national nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories.