Optical payloads course
Online course of 300 hours in optical payloads, structured in 6 modules covering space optics fundamentals, detectors and proximity electronics, optomechanical design, calibration and image quality, performance and applications, and a final project, with an assigned technical tutor.
Optical payloads course — studying from Malta
Malta's aerospace activity is concentrated around Malta International Airport at Luqa, where aircraft maintenance, cabin interiors and aviation services form a significant part of the local economy. The island's aviation sector is supported by a long-established regulatory framework and a growing interest in drone operations and advanced air mobility. Engineers here commonly find work with aircraft maintenance organisations, aviation services providers and companies engaged in unmanned systems testing. Expertise in airworthiness, systems integration and regulatory compliance is particularly valued by employers operating within this niche but internationally connected market.
Fees for Malta: €644 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which professional bodies in Malta recognise engineers working in aerospace, UAM, drones and space, and how does that affect my title?
Malta's Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' under the Engineering Profession Act. Aviation safety is overseen by the Malta Competition and Consumers Affairs Authority's aviation counterpart, Transport Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate, which licenses operators and certain technical staff. A private SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition depends on the employer or the relevant body.
Which employers in Malta might hire someone with an aerospace or drone engineering background?
Malta has an aviation sector centred on Malta International Airport, aircraft maintenance and MRO activity, and a growing drone and space-related presence at the University of Malta and in private firms. Employers vary in their hiring criteria. A private qualification can support a application, but employers will weigh it against experience and any formal credentials they require.
Can I realistically study this 1,900-hour programme while working full time in Malta, and do I need a visa?
Programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in Malta or elsewhere without a student visa. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor. Workload should be planned around your job; 1,900 hours is substantial, so most working professionals spread it over a long period. Ask about employer sponsorship and instalment fee options before enrolling.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the optical fundamentals of space instruments.
Select detectors and acquisition configurations.
Design stable optomechanical systems.
Calculate image quality budgets.
Apply image calibration and correction processes.
Assess applications of optical observation.
Produce the preliminary design of an optical instrument.
Who it's for
- Optical engineers moving into space instruments.
- Payload engineers working on Earth observation missions.
- Optomechanical engineers.
- Calibration engineers.
- Remote sensing analysts who want to understand the instrument behind the image.
- Observation systems engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter Earth observation.
What you'll work with
- ISO 19159-1 (calibration and validation of remote sensing imagery sensors: optical sensors)
- ISO 10110 (series) (preparation of drawings for optical elements and systems)
- ECSS-Q-ST-70-01C (cleanliness and contamination control)
- CEOS-ARD Surface Reflectance (analysis ready data specification for surface reflectance)
- ISO 19115-2 (geographic information metadata for imagery and gridded data)
- ISO 12233 (resolution and spatial frequency response measurement)
- ECSS-E-ST-10-03C (space engineering testing)
- Zemax OpticStudio
- CODE V
- ESA SNAP
- ENVI
- QGIS
6 modules
1.1Geometrical optics and aberrations1.2Cassegrain, Korsch and TMA telescopes1.3Focal length, aperture and f-number1.4Spatial resolution and GSD1.5Modulation transfer function1.6Diffraction and resolution limit1.7Panchromatic and multispectral bands1.8Sentinel-2, Pléiades and Landsat missions1.9Illumination and acquisition geometry1.10Workshop: GSD calculation for a telescope
2.1CCD and CMOS sensors2.2Pushbroom and TDI configuration2.3Infrared detectors2.4Noise and signal-to-noise ratio2.5Dynamic range and quantisation2.6Readout electronics2.7On-board image compression2.8Detector cooling2.9Focal plane design2.10Practical exercise: SNR calculation for a multispectral channel
3.1Materials: SiC, Zerodur and ULE3.2Thermal stability and alignment3.3Mirror mounts3.4Baffles and stray light3.5Focusing mechanisms3.6Contamination of optical surfaces3.7Launch vibrations3.8Microvibrations and jitter3.9Optical tests in thermal vacuum3.10Lab: design of a telescope in Zemax OpticStudio
4.1Pre-launch calibration4.2Solar and lunar in-flight calibration4.3Vicarious calibration sites4.4Radiometric correction4.5Geometric correction and orthorectification4.6Band-to-band registration4.7Atmospheric correction4.8Level 1C and 2A products4.9Validation with in situ data4.10Case study: atmospheric correction of a Sentinel-2 scene
5.1MTF and SNR budgets5.2Platform agility5.3Acquisition capacity5.4Cartography and stereoscopy5.5Agriculture and vegetation5.6Surveillance and security5.7Small-satellite optical constellations5.8Trends in very high resolution5.9Export and distribution restrictions5.10Case study: performance comparison between missions
6.1User requirements6.2Band and GSD selection6.3Optical design6.4Detector selection6.5MTF and SNR budget6.6Optomechanical design6.7Calibration plan6.8Processing chain6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, ESA SNAP, ENVI and QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: design of a three-mirror telescope for Earth observation, calculation of MTF and SNR budgets and atmospheric correction of multispectral images. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: ISO 19159-1, ISO 10110 (series), ECSS-Q-ST-70-01C, CEOS-ARD Surface Reflectance, ISO 19115-2, ISO 12233, ECSS-E-ST-10-03C.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, ESA SNAP, ENVI, QGIS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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