Fixed-wing drone course
Online course of 300 hours in fixed-wing drones. 6 modules covering aerodynamics, preliminary design, propulsion, guidance and control and BVLOS operations under Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, with XFLR5, OpenVSP, ArduPilot SITL and JSBSim, with an assigned technical tutor.
Fixed-wing drone course — studying from the United States
The United States leads global aerospace, anchored by clusters in Seattle, Wichita, Hartford, Huntsville and the Houston area. Major employers such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, RTX and GE Aerospace drive demand for engineers in airframes, propulsion, avionics and systems integration. Urban air mobility and commercial drone operations are expanding quickly, creating new roles in eVTOL design, airspace integration and UAS operations. Civil and military programs both rely heavily on certified design, testing and airworthiness processes, making this a strong field for engineers seeking complex, high-impact work.
Fees for the United States: 830 US$ (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United States
Typical roles
Questions from the United States
Will this help me become a licensed Professional Engineer?
SEIUM programmes do not replace the education, examination and experience requirements set by state licensing boards. They can support your professional development, but licensure requirements must be confirmed directly with your state board.
Are SEIUM qualifications accredited in the United States?
SEIUM qualifications are private qualifications and are not official state degrees or accredited higher education awards. Please check with the relevant employer or licensing board about how any credential will be viewed for your purposes.
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
Analyse the aerodynamic behaviour of fixed-wing unmanned aircraft.
Carry out the preliminary design of a UAV from mission requirements.
Size electric, combustion or hybrid propulsion systems.
Tune the control loops of a fixed-wing autopilot.
Plan long-range and BVLOS operations.
Assess operational risks using the SORA methodology.
Design a flight test plan.
Who it's for
- UAV design engineers.
- Aerodynamics specialists working on light vehicles.
- Fixed-wing UAS pilots who want a deeper technical grounding.
- Flight test engineers.
- Autopilot integrators.
- BVLOS operations technicians.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter mapping and surveying.
What you'll work with
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (rules and procedures for UAS operation)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 (UAS and third-country UAS operators)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (EASA Basic Regulation)
- Royal Decree 517/2024 (Spanish UAS regulation)
- STANAG 4703 (airworthiness requirements for light fixed-wing UAS)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 923/2012 (SERA, standardised European rules of the air)
- ASTM F2910 (design and construction of small UAS)
- XFLR5
- OpenVSP
- ArduPilot SITL
- JSBSim
- QGroundControl
6 modules
1.1Aerofoils and CL and CD coefficients1.2Reynolds number in small vehicles1.3Aircraft drag polar and efficiency1.4Aspect ratio, sweep and induced drag1.5Stall and low-speed behaviour1.6Control surfaces and their effects1.7Longitudinal static stability and static margin1.8Lateral-directional stability1.9Configurations: conventional, flying wing and V-tail1.10Practical exercise: aerofoil analysis with XFLR5
2.1Mission requirements and weight estimation2.2Constraint diagram and wing loading2.3Tail sizing and centre of gravity2.4Materials: EPO, carbon fibre and glass fibre2.5Structural loads and load factor2.6Fuselage and payload bay2.7Landing gear and recovery systems2.8Catapult launch and net landing2.9Hybrid VTOL configurations2.10Workshop: conceptual design of a civil reconnaissance UAV
3.1Electric motors and propeller selection3.2Small-displacement combustion engines3.3Hybrid propulsion for long endurance3.4Breguet equation adapted to batteries3.5Solar panels on wings3.6Battery thermal management3.7Performance: climb, cruise and glide3.8Consumption versus cruise speed3.9Propulsion tests in a wind tunnel3.10Lab: range and endurance calculation
4.1Linearised dynamic model4.2Autopilot: pitch, roll and airspeed loops4.3Total energy control system (TECS)4.4L1 path following4.5Automatic take-off and landing4.6Flight in crosswinds and thermals4.7Airspeed estimation with a Pitot tube4.8Emergency modes and flight termination4.9Simulation with JSBSim models4.10Practical exercise: TECS controller tuning in SITL
5.1Large-area mapping missions5.2Surveillance of linear infrastructure5.3BVLOS operations and standard scenarios5.4Flight planning and terrain study5.5SORA risk analysis for fixed-wing5.6Coordination with air traffic control5.7Maintenance of structures and systems5.8Flight testing and test campaigns5.9Data management and mission download5.10Case study: BVLOS inspection of an oil pipeline
6.1Mission requirements and specification6.2Aerodynamic design of the wing and tail6.3Stability and balance calculation6.4Powerplant selection6.5Mass and energy budget6.6Autopilot configuration6.7Flight test plan6.8Performance evaluation6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online 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 each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulations and applied exercises. The working software is XFLR5, OpenVSP, ArduPilot SITL, JSBSim and QGroundControl, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for wind tunnel aerodynamic analysis, autopilot test flights and long-distance mapping missions. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, Royal Decree 517/2024, STANAG 4703, Implementing Regulation (EU) 923/2012 (SERA), ASTM F2910.
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.
- An 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 XFLR5, OpenVSP, ArduPilot SITL, JSBSim and QGroundControl, 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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