Today, on February 6, representatives of the International Anti-Corruption Assembly visited the Dream Ukraine School of UAV Operators and met with Anna Novikova, President of the Dream Ukraine Volunteer Foundation.
The school has been accepting civilian and military students for almost a year. The course consists of several weeks of intensive training with experienced instructors. The training program includes a theoretical part (meteorology, aerodynamics, cartography, engineering), engineering part, training on a computer simulator, and the final part – the cadets go to the training ground where they gain skills in flying drones they have assembled with their own hands.
After completing the course, the cadets gain skills:
- Easily disassemble/assemble airplane-type UAVs.
- Fly confidently.
- Carry out autonomous flights, missions, change settings for combat missions.
- Independently replace parts that fail during operation.
«…Initially, our mission was purely humanitarian. We helped anyone who found themselves in a difficult situation. We helped with food and medicine in the occupied territory near Kyiv. We delivered everything we could bring. We also brought protective equipment for our guys… Since April 2023, my partner Natalia Kutska and I have teamed up and started an engineering and flight school project together…
The essence of the project is to teach people how to assemble summer plan UAVs. To assemble, customize, fly, and give a comprehensive picture of what a UAV is, what an airplane is, and what to do with it. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of UAVs, algorithms and cause-and-effect relationships, how it works, and how to use it. During this time, we have already graduated about 100 cadets who have been trained at our school. These are both civilians and military…
… We also have plans to implement a project to socialize wounded soldiers… Those who will not be returned to the army will be able to acquire a new profession. Thus, they will be able to socialize and return to society as full-fledged players…»
Anna also spoke about the intricacies of selecting material for airplanes, the nuances of electronics and the selection of equipment.
In the classroom, there were exhibits that the students were trained on today. These are various remote controls for controlling drones so that the cadets can use their skills in a versatile way. This is an FPV helmet for visualizing the direction of the drone’s flight. These are control boards, battery packs, etc…
Natalia Kutska, Deputy President of Dream Ukraine, told us about the school’s activities and training.
Kirill Marlinsky is one of the co-organizers of Automaidan Kyiv during the Revolution of Dignity. He is an artist who traveled halfway across Europe as part of the international “volunteer” project West Wing Project. His paintings were exhibited at Mystetskyi Arsenal and at the famous independent festival-competition ArtPrize7 (2015, Grand Rapids, Michigan) and have been added to private collections in the United States, Germany, Japan, as well as the collection of the French Embassy in Ukraine.
His volunteer activities cover various areas. Kirill has helped to evacuate people from the areas where the fighting took place, and delivers humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the population of Ukraine. He delivers food, clothing, medicines, medical equipment for hospitals, military hospitals and mobile military brigades, and special equipment for the military.
For their contribution to the humanitarian component of the Victory, Anna Novikova and Kirill Marlinsky were awarded the «Badge of Honor» – the Award «Gratitude of the World from the Ukrainian People for the Humanitarian Component of the Victory!».
Unfortunately, we were unable to meet with two more Heroes – the founder of the Dream Ukraine Foundation and a soldier, Roman Ilchenko, and a volunteer of the Organization and the Foundation and a soldier, Serhii Yartsev.
We look forward to meeting our Heroes.
We would like to sincerely thank the caring Ukrainians who, despite everything, help our defenders.
We bow low to you, honor and glory!