A pilot program by the Ministry of National Defence is launching in sixteen upper-secondary schools that run military preparation units, introducing hands-on instruction in operating and flying unmanned aerial vehicles and preparing students for the civil-aviation qualifications required to fly them. The rollout is staged: selected teachers will be trained first, followed by student cohorts. The curriculum is practical, covering work with UAV platforms as well as preparation for state examinations.
Teacher training is delivered by military specialists with instructor credentials. This phase will last three weeks and conclude in the first quarter of 2026. Certified educators will then co-lead student classes according to a unified syllabus and timetable. Methodological support and technical backing will come from defence-ministry units, including recruitment centers and training facilities. The plan includes field sessions, safety drills at dedicated stations, and standard operating procedures.
Student instruction is scheduled to begin in April 2026. Each school will form a thirty-student group for a combined theory-and-practice course. Students will learn aviation regulations for controlled zones and open airspace, flight planning, and navigation basics. A major focus is operational safety and a culture of responsible drone use in civilian settings and around critical infrastructure, along with training for emergency procedures.
The course culminates in an examination with theoretical and practical components in the “open” category. The resulting qualifications will meet the requirements of the national regulator. A competitive element between schools is also planned: piloting contests will test precision, procedural discipline, and teamwork, including obstacle courses, sustained-stability drills, and exercises under reduced-visibility conditions.
The pilot runs until mid-2027. Afterwards, the program is slated to transition into a permanent format and expand to additional schools, potentially reaching several hundred nationwide. The implementation schedule preserves the teacher-training module, provides cyclical upskilling, and updates materials to reflect regulatory changes and technological progress. Plans also include supplying schools with training kits and essential teaching aids.
Officials emphasize both the educational and defence value of the initiative. For the school system, it builds technical and digital competencies sought on the labor market. For the armed forces, it is an investment in future talent and in spreading foundational UAV knowledge. Cooperation between schools and military units is intended to raise organizational readiness and facilitate access to the infrastructure needed for safe training.
The pilot’s launch aligns with the broader rise of unmanned systems. A unified curriculum and examination framework will make learning outcomes comparable and support faster scaling. Safety and regulatory compliance remain the program’s core. With the first phase concluding in early 2026, student training follows, accompanied by ongoing progress reviews and organizational adjustments ahead of the planned expansion.
Photo: gov.pl
This article was prepared as part of the public task commissioned under the Government Programme for the Development of Civic Organizations 2018–2030: “Safe Poland of Tomorrow – strengthening the mission-driven activities of the Alioth Foundation.”
