More than 80 years ago, military aviators trained at what was then Bryan Army Air Field. Today, aviation training is taking a new form on that same historic ground.
Texas A&M-RELLIS and the Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) recently celebrated the graduation of the first cohort from the Professional Remote Operator Program. Graduates Toheeb Agboola, Hart Bassana, and Geoff Hamilton completed a rigorous combination of online instruction, in-person training, and hands-on flight experience designed to prepare them for the future of drone work.
This milestone represents more than the completion of a training program. It marks the beginning of a new pathway for developing skilled, safety-minded professionals who are prepared to meet the evolving needs of the unmanned aviation industry.
The Professional Remote Operator Program was created to go beyond conventional preparation for the FAA Part 107 examination.
During the 12-week program, students develop the knowledge and practical skills required to conduct safe flight operations and contribute to professionally managed drone programs. After completing their online coursework, the inaugural cohort gathered at Texas A&M-RELLIS for three days of in-person instruction and hands-on flight training.
The curriculum emphasizes the qualities that define aviation-grade training: precision, safety, preparation, professional standards, and experience in real operating environments.
Students who successfully complete all program and certification requirements can earn:
Together, these credentials demonstrate more than baseline regulatory knowledge. They reflect a graduate’s ability to approach unmanned aircraft operations with the discipline, judgment, and safety mindset employers increasingly require.
Unmanned aircraft systems are becoming essential tools across agriculture, public safety, infrastructure, construction, energy, transportation, and many other industries. As these applications expand, employers need professionals who can do more than fly a drone or pass an exam.
They need people who understand operational safety, risk management, professional flight practices, and the systems required to support a successful drone program.
The first graduating cohort brought that connection to industry to life. Graduate Toheeb Agboola, for example, entered the program to earn his FAA certification and develop practical drone skills that could support his work in agriculture, including crop monitoring and precision application activities.
These are the real-world outcomes the partnership between Texas A&M-RELLIS and USI was built to support.
The RELLIS campus has a remarkable aviation history. Originally activated in 1943, Bryan Army Air Field trained military flight instructors and helped advance standardized approaches to instrument flying. Its instructors later included future astronauts Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Virgil “Gus” Grissom.
USI is honored to help continue that legacy in a new era of aviation.
As Garrett Klinger, USI Program Manager and Instructor at Texas A&M-RELLIS, shared in the official announcement, this inaugural cohort represents the future of unmanned aviation: “skilled, safety-minded professionals prepared to contribute on day one.”
We congratulate Toheeb, Hart, and Geoff on their achievement. We are grateful for the commitment of the Texas A&M-RELLIS team and proud of what this partnership is creating for students, employers, and the unmanned aviation workforce.
The location may be historic, but the opportunity ahead is entirely new.
Aviation-grade training for the future of drone work.
Read the official Texas A&M University System announcement.
Learn more about the Professional Remote Operator Program at Texas A&M-RELLIS.