23rd June 2023 21:13:11 Hours
The first Drone Operators’ Refresher Course ended on Wednesday (June 21) at 15 Sri Lanka Artillery (15 SLA) Regiment pemises in Panaluwa with the participation of 04 Officers and 25 Other Ranks of SLA.
The Drone Operators’ Refresher Course was initiated under the guidance of Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army and the Colonel Commandant of SLA with the intention of enhancing the knowledge and skills of SLA drone operators. The course was conducted during 07 - 21 June for a period of 14 days with training and instructional assistance of the School of Artillery and the 15 SLA.
The programme encompassed a range of essential areas including introduction, military use, Basic Aeronautical knowledge, Flight Regulations, Safety protocols, Advanced piloting techniques, Aerial Photography and Videography, 3D/2D mapping with Lidar Technology and more.
The experienced trainers and instructor panel imparted their knowledge and experience while conducting theoretical and practical sessions. The Course encourages them to push their boundaries and explore innovative applications across the industries such as aerial surveillance, emergency response, agriculture, environmental monitoring and more. The involvement of industry experts (Suleco Pvt Ltd) who shared their real-world experience and expertise to enrich the course content and provide good value.
The course was successfully completed within the Colombo area with the blessings of the Commander, Security Forces - West, General Officer Commanding of 14 Infantry Division and the Commander of the 142 Infantry Brigade by allowing the course to be conducted in Panaluwa and the Director General of the Directorate of Operations for releasing the deployed Drones and operators for the betterment of the course.
Lieutenant Colonel W.A.S.M Wijayalath RSP psc IG, the Commanding Officer of 15 SLA graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and delivered the closing remarks before giving away the certificates and awards. Captain R.M.R.C Rathnayake was awarded the best student Officer while Gunner D.A Gunarathne became the best student Other Ranker in the course.
