Following the two-day WASP Workshop in Moldova, the GS-Foundation continued its activities on 17 September 2026 with a refresher training for participants of the Training-of-Trainers course for drone pilots conducted in September 2025.
The training brought together representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and its subdivisions who serve as drone-piloting instructors. Building on the knowledge and skills acquired during the previous Training-of-Trainers course, the refresher provided an opportunity to consolidate existing expertise and address relevant developments in the field of drone-pilot training.
Consolidating Knowledge and Training Skills
The refresher training covered key legal, technical, regulatory, and methodological aspects of drone-pilot training. In addition to refreshing existing knowledge, the programme focused on strengthening the participants’ capacity to apply and transfer their expertise in their roles as instructors.
Prof. Chris Janke and Sebastian Rohde, GS-Foundation experts in the field, conducted the training and accompanied the participants throughout the different sessions.
Putting the New Drone Training Laboratory into Practice
The training also marked an important milestone for the development of practical training capacities in Moldova: for the first time, the newly equipped drone training laboratory at the Police Academy in Chișinău was put to full use.
The laboratory provides a dedicated environment for the practical and technical training of drone pilots and instructors. Reflecting on its equipment and capabilities, Prof. Janke described the laboratory as a “true gem” by international standards.
Building Sustainable Training Capacities
By combining qualified instructors with dedicated training infrastructure, the refresher training contributed to strengthening sustainable capacities for drone-pilot training within Moldova’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The event was organised by the GS-Foundation in close cooperation with the Inspectorate for Operational Management (OMI) of the MIA as part of a project funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Towards a Centre of Competence for Civilian Drone Use
The training forms part of the broader cooperation between the GS-Foundation and MIA OMI aimed at establishing a Centre of Competence for the civilian use of drones by state authorities in Moldova.
Through the development of training capacities, institutional structures, and practical expertise, the project seeks to create sustainable conditions for the professional and coordinated use of drones by Moldovan state authorities.
