Many commercial flights may be grounded, but graduates of a Gloucestershire flying school are been offered the chance of a fresh career as a drone pilot.

Skyborne Airline Academy, based at Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton, has teamed up with drone training and operation experts Flyby Technology.

Newly qualified pilots from Skyborne's programmes will be selected to join Flyby as commercial drone pilots, completing the company's Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) training course.

Skyborne chief executive Lee Woodward said: "This is a first for UK pilot training.

"Working with Flyby Technology provides a fantastic opportunity for our graduates to build a career flying unmanned aircraft, while enhancing their pilot skills, expanding their knowledge and further developing their professionalism.

"We are committed to innovation and our newly qualified pilots will help shape the future of this exciting field of aviation."

He continued: "While we recognise many of our trainees may ultimately seek airline placement once post-COVID-19 travel demand recovers, completing their drone pilot licence will result in a competitive starting salary and potentially lead them to an alternative career."

Graduates who complete the course will be employed as drone pilots, operating sophisticated technology in challenging commercial operations.

The Civil Aviation Authority is reviewing BVLOS legislation for flights in non-segregated airspace, enabling pilots to potentially carry out tactical search and rescue operations, humanitarian relief, mapping and various medical applications.

Flyby Technology founder Jon Parker, a former RAF and airline pilot, said: "The unmanned aircraft industry is leading the way into a new age of aviation.

"Flyby Technology is trailblazing BVLOS training which will take the flying of civilian drones to a completely new level.

"We know Skyborne graduates are very well trained, motivated and would make ideal drone pilots once we have given them further specialist training."