These newsletters aim to share updates, learnings, and guidance about our current (and future!) service deliveries. If you wish to subscribe, please email uav@surflifesaving.com.au
Flood Assistance with SES
Flooding is unfortunately continuing to affect some parts of the state and is likely to continue for the weeks to come. AUAVS has continued to support the SES by deploying UAV Pilot teams to ensure the safety of on-water crews, check for road blockages, structural damage, and other critical issues.
We understand that this line of work is vastly different from the seasonal DPI shark patrols, so we would like to thank all our staff who’ve been so flexible and have gone above and beyond to assist in the flood emergencies. Currently, we’re working on arranging stand-by teams ahead of time, so we ask that you please continue to be active in Teams chats and responsive to availability requests. Your hard work is very much appreciated and goes a long way for the affected communities.
Online Flood Awareness Training
As mentioned above, AUAVS is preparing to be able to quickly deploy UAV Operators and Pilots at any time assist in affected areas. To ensure you’re ready to operate in a flooded environment, it is a requirement that you complete an online Flood Awareness Training module before being deployed.
SLS has a Members Portal that grants you access to this online training module, in addition to the online training you would have already completed as part of your initial onboarding. Please click here to create your Members account if you don’t already have one. From here, head to ‘eLearning’, and the Flood Awareness Training can be found in the SLS- New South Wales section of the training library. Please complete this at your earliest convenience, and email uav@surflifesaving.com.au with your certificate of completion.
Hunter STEM Expo
The Australian UAV Service was invited by Training Services NSW to attend and hold a stand as part of an expo where students were selected from certain schools around the Hunter/Newcastle area to explore and help identify potential future careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM). The theme of the Expo was ‘Choose Your Future’, and there was a great abundance of students wishing to explore their potential to be involved in the UAV industry. This was evident from the keenness that students had. Talking to our UAV pilots and put their drone knowledge to the test in a quiz based game, passers-by were enticed on what UAVs have the potential to do. Students and Teachers provided great feedback, thanking the team for showing a succinct presentation of how to pursue a pathway into becoming a UAV pilot/operator. Some students also expressed their interest to join the UAV Service. Watch this space, or even better, watch the skies!
AirTag Rollout
With our increased integration with SES and other emergency agencies, it’s important we are always prepared for a deployment. The use of AirTags will allow us to precisely locate each asset in real-time and enable the most efficient planning.
The AirTags will be installed in each UAV Kit, including the M300, M30T’s, and education/training UAV’s. They’ll be rolled out over the next coming weeks by each Supervisor who will drop them off as they make frequent visits to each location throughout the next patrol period.
Proficiency Checks
We would like to introduce a new format for your annual UAV Proficiency Check that is compulsory for all UAV Pilots and Operators within SLSNSW (both staff AND volunteer members) for the 22-23 season.
Completion of this check will help ensure you maintain the confidence and understanding of UAV operations and safety standards within SLSNSW. Don’t worry it is not intended to be stressful, but a means to engage all our pilots and ensure consistency across our growing operations.
The Proficiency Check will be made up of two parts – an online quiz and a brief practical component. The online quiz makes up the knowledge component of the Proficiency Check and the minimum pass mark is 80%.
Following completion and based on your Branch you then will be provided with a selection of dates to attend the short but mandatory practical component of proficiency prior to December 31st, which includes flying one battery to run through SOPs. Please utilise this practical session as a chance to ask any questions, clarify expectations and meet other pilots at your location.
To start your Proficiency Check please email uav@surflifesaving.com.au