Practical training for emergencies: the NIST course in action at AIRlabs Austria and FH JOANNEUM

As part of the drone festival in Anras, it was not only visible – but could also be experienced hands-on: the NIST course. What looks like a playful drone manoeuvre at first glance is actually a sophisticated, practical training tool for situations where precision, an overview and good nerves are essential. 

AIRlabs Austria was on site together with FH JOANNEUM to not only present this training course, but also to demonstrate it live – and to show how important structured training opportunities are for professional drone pilots.

Realistic training instead of theory 

The NIST course – named after the US National Institute of Standards and Technology – was developed to simulate real operating conditions with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as realistically as possible. In practice, it is not only technical expertise and control skills that count, but above all the ability to act in a calm, structured and safe manner in complex, stressful situations.

Typical deployment scenarios range from searching for people in complex or difficult terrain to reconnaissance missions after natural disasters and inspection missions in areas that are difficult to access. The NIST course was developed precisely for such cases: as a flexible and objective means of training skills and making them measurable. 

The course can be presented and tested in a realistic environment at events such as the drone festival in Anras. This not only promotes dialogue between research, practice and the interested public, but also makes the requirements for professional drone operations tangible. 

From event to emergency: the demonstration in Anras 

At this year’s drone festival in Anras, the NIST course was at the centre of the presentation by FH JOANNEUM and AIRlabs Austria. Holger Friehmelt, Technical Director of AIRlabs and Head of the Institute of Aeronautics at FH JOANNEUM, introduced the concept and explained the background to the training system. 

Meanwhile, Kristóf Gombàs, technical project manager at AIRlabs, carried out the live demonstration. Despite his experience, it was still a unique challenge for him:  ‘You have to stay extremely focussed. Flying with FPV goggles makes it more difficult to estimate distances – and if the audience is also active and provides spontaneous target coordinates, you have to search, fly and remain precise at the same time.’ 

And that is precisely the core of the training: responsiveness and concentration under simulated pressure. The audience was actively involved and provided random target coordinates – Kristóf had to locate, identify and navigate the drone to the target field without losing control. The demonstration thus became an instructive insight into the requirements of professional drone missions. 

Who is the NIST course intended for?

The course is aimed in particular at: 

• Authorities and emergency services (e.g. fire brigade, mountain rescue, police), 
• technical service providers in the field of critical infrastructure and security, 
• training institutions and 
• research organisations involved in the use of UAS. 

It enables both beginners and experienced pilots to test their skills under controlled but demanding conditions – and ideally to continuously develop them further. 

The aim is clear: not only to test drones technically, but also to provide professional training for the people behind the controls – and thus significantly increase the quality and safety of missions. 

Thank you, Anras! 

Special thanks go to the organising team of the Anras drone festival, whose commitment, expertise, and warm hospitality made the event a complete success. It was an excellent opportunity for AIRlabs to bring technology and training to life in dialogue with the public. 

We are already looking forward to seeing you again next year! 

More on the topic: 

🔗 Trainingsparcours für Drohnenpilot:innen bei AIRlabs
🔗 Presseinformation FH JOANNEUM & TU Graz zum NIST-Parcours
🔗 Drohnenfestival Anras