The IKS Forum was organized with the support of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade as a unified inter-industry export platform for developers, manufacturers and operators of unmanned systems, robotics and intelligent control systems.
From mass training to solving real problems
During the discussion, Dmitry Afanasyev outlined a key challenge for the industry: today the issue of personnel for UAS needs to be posed more broadly than the issue of the number of trained operators. The industry requires specialists who can safely and cost-effectively solve specific production and operational problems.
“A universal UAV operator is not enough for a mature industry. Drone control is just one of the competencies. A specialist in agriculture must understand the technology of agricultural production and the seasonality of work, in infrastructure monitoring - the skills of mission planning and data interpretation, in the fuel and energy complex and geodesy - their own standards of accuracy and reporting. The personnel system should train not an abstract operator, but a specialist for a specific professional function and application scenario,” noted Dmitry Afanasyev.
Association NAS – HR order integrator
The Chairman of the Board of the Association presented an approach to consolidating industry personnel orders: collecting company requests for roles, competencies, regions and training periods, translating them into requirements for educational programs and forming a platform for coordination between manufacturers, operators, customers of UAS services, universities, colleges and authorities.
A training model was proposed as a managed professional trajectory: entrance diagnostics → modular program with a BAS base and profile specialization → practice and mentoring in companies in the industry → independent confirmation of qualifications → employment and further professional development.
Independent assessment of qualifications and integration of military veterans
Special attention was paid to the development of an independent qualification assessment (IQA) system, which confirms a specialist’s compliance with professional standards, regardless of the method of obtaining competencies. The UAS industry needs the creation of up-to-date qualifications, assessment tools and practice-oriented examination platforms.
Dmitry Afanasyev also presented an approach to the professional integration of Northern Military District veterans into the civilian sector of the BAS. It is emphasized that military experience does not automatically equate to civilian qualifications - a personalized route is required: profiling, competency assessment, targeted additional training, NOC and employment for a specific enterprise request.
Association plans for 2026–2027
At the end of his speech, Dmitry Afanasyev announced the priority initiatives of the Association: the creation of a permanent industry platform for BAS personnel and qualifications, regular collection of personnel orders, development of a map of professions and competencies of the industry, the launch of pilot training programs to meet the needs of enterprises, a pilot route for the integration of military veterans and the development of the NOC system.
“We need a clear standard of interaction. The employer formulates the task, education creates the trajectory, the professional community confirms the quality, and the state provides the conditions for scaling. The final overall goal is for not just a trained person to come into the industry, but a trained, proven and in-demand specialist for a specific workplace and a specific technological task,” summed up Dmitry Afanasyev.
