Holmes Institute

What you'll study

The programme comprises 24 units (20 core units and 4 electives). Core and sample units include:

• Year 1: HV1000 Flight Lab – Single Engine Piston; HV1001 General and Technical Aeronautical Knowledge; HV1002 Aviation Law; HV1003 Aerodynamics – Piston Aircraft; HC1041 Information Technology for Business; HV1004 Meteorology; AVT1001 Aeronautical Theory – RPL & PPL; AVP1001 Aeronautical Practice – RPL*
• Year 2: HV2000 Flight Lab – Advanced Piston Aircraft; HV2004 Aeronautical Navigation; HV2002 Human Factors in Aviation; HV2008 Introduction to Drones and UAVs; HV2005 Flight Planning, Performance and Loading; HV2009 Drone Operations Management; HV2010 Drone Operational Applications; plus one elective
• Year 3: HV3000 Flight Lab – Instrument & Turbine Procedures; HV3006 Drone Mission Planning; HV3007 Drone Information Systems; HV3131 Aviation Research Project; HV3001 Aviation Safety Management; and remaining electives

Electives are drawn from options such as High Speed Aerodynamics, Flight Deck Systems, Airspace Management Systems, Business Fundamentals, Advanced Air Mobility and Vertiport Development, or other undergraduate units where offered. Flight practical units include specified flight hours; additional training beyond allocated hours incurs extra cost.

Entry requirements

• No ATAR required.
• Academic: successful completion of Australian Year 12, a Certificate IV or equivalent, or an approved tertiary preparation/foundation program.
• English: completion of English at Year 12/Australian diploma level or equivalent, or IELTS overall 6.0 with no band below 5.5.
• Additional aviation-specific requirements: CASA Class 1 Medical Certificate; eligibility for an Aviation Security Identification Card; attend an interview and complete a skills assessment with the institute; CASA requires a General English Language Proficiency test prior to licence issuance.
• Assumed knowledge: Year 12 Mathematical Methods or equivalent.

Career prospects

Graduates with this major are prepared for operational and managerial roles in unmanned aviation, including:

• Commercial Drone Pilot / Remote Pilot
• Drone Operations Manager / Chief Remote Pilot
• Aerial Surveyor / GIS Analyst
• Precision Agriculture Operator
• Media & Cinematography Drone Pilot
• Environmental Monitoring Specialist
• Logistics / Delivery Drone Operator
• Emergency & Rescue Drone Operator
• Longer-term options: regulatory roles, consultancy or founding a drone services business

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The course is FEE‑HELP eligible. Published total course fees are stated as $89,000, which includes 31.5 hours of flight training and 1 hour of simulator training; additional flight training beyond allocated hours is charged separately. Prospective students should confirm current fee and loan limits with the provider.