AirAsia Group has become the first in Malaysia to obtain a license to conduct drone training: a game-changer in the drone delivery revolution in the country. This would, at the same time be a boost to the fast-growing domestic e-commerce industry.
Group chief executive officer of AirAsia Aviation Ltd Bo Lingam said the move to train drone pilots would drive drone delivery. AirAsia Aviation Ltd is a unit of AirAsia Group.
“It’s a lucrative and incredibly fast-growing market. Globally, the industry has already taken off and is projected to reach US$7.39bil (RM31bil) by 2027.
“This new training program provides an opportunity to upskill our ‘Allstars’ and offer exciting new programs for the broader community, as well as supporting the drone industry in providing quality training to have more qualified remote pilots in Malaysia.
“No prior experience is necessary, making this a great opportunity for everyone to learn to fly,” he told StarBiz.
Ultimately, he said this would support the company’s vision to launch urban drone delivery for goods and retail items from airasia’s e-commerce platforms.
The sky is the limit as the company could also potentially scale up to support remote areas for essential supplies during natural disasters, he added.
President AirAsia Group (digital), Aireen Omar said: “Innovation has always been in our DNA and we can’t wait to launch our AirAsia Drone Academy through our digital edutech arm, airasia academy, as we continue to support the digitalization of Malaysia through a broad range of innovative tech-based training programs.
“Drone delivery will soon become our latest logistics solution, providing a strong boost to support the ever-growing e-commerce industry.
“Most importantly, this innovation will allow us to create new high-tech job opportunities for Malaysians.
“The ability to pivot is part of our culture and while some are losing their jobs in aviation, we offer a second chance for them to build a new career with us through e-commerce,” she said.
As a disruptive leader, Aireen said AirAsia is ready to take on new innovative challenges and embrace the wave of Industry Revolution 4.0 to its advantage.
AirAsia Group chief safety officer and head of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) Captain Ling Liong Tien said the company is thrilled to be the first in Malaysia to win approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) for the accreditation of the remote pilot training organisation (RPTO).
He said the team has been working closely with CAAM for months and looks forward to starting its first class in the coming weeks.
“The idea behind becoming an RPTO is to support the industry by providing quality remote pilot training leveraging our strong aviation background and decades of expertise. The UAS has become an important element in many industries driving cost effectiveness and numerous efficiencies.
“Our commitment is to develop a strong foundation, supported by our existing robust safety management system, crew resource management and human factors training programs along with the remote pilot training modules – both in the class and out in the field,” he said.
Commercial remote pilot training classes would commence from Jan 24.
Interested candidates may register to enrol for one of the courses through the airasia academy website.