Cochise Newsroom

New drone training program prepares students for FAA Part 107 certification and commercial UAS careers.

 

Cochise College has partnered with the Unmanned Safety Institute to offer a new Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems Certificate program designed to prepare students for careers as professional drone operators.

 

The 12-week, 160-hour program begins Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, and combines online instruction with hands-on flight training. Students will complete 11 weeks of online, instructor-guided coursework, followed by 32 hours of in-person training during the final week at Cochise College. 

 

The hands-on portion is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 30 through Dec. 3.

 

The program is designed for individuals interested in using drone technology in industries such as public safety, agriculture, construction, surveying, inspection, emergency response, media production and environmental monitoring.

 

“Commercial drone operations continue to grow across many industries, and employers need trained professionals who understand safety, regulations and drone flight operations,” said Cullen Scarborough, dean of workforce development at Cochise College. “This certificate gives students the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to pursue opportunities in this expanding field.”

 

Through the program, students will prepare to pass the FAA Part 107 Knowledge Test and earn a Remote Pilot Certificate. FAA Part 107 testing is available at the Cochise College Douglas Campus.

 

Students who successfully complete the program will also be prepared to earn ASTM F3266-aligned USI Safety Level 3 certification for visual line of sight system operations and ASTM F3266-aligned USI Safety Level 4 certification for visual line of sight (VSO) flight training. 

 

The cost of the program is $4,500 per student. The FAA exam fee of $175 is not included. A minimum cohort of four students is required. Funding is available for qualified applicants through ARIZONA@WORK. 

 

Questions may be directed to Cullen Scarborough at scarboroughc@cochise.edu.

 

For more information, visit www.cochise.edu/skills.