With drones fast becoming a modern business necessity, city residents are investing in training to better understand the flying, remote-driven robots.

TAFE instructor Sam Ebert said what was once a luxury item, owned by few, was now affordable and readily available across electronics retail counters. 

But Albury’s head of spatial and surveying said only five-to-10 per cent of drone users were aware of the relevant legislation they had to follow.

“We haven’t had any big accidents … but if it fell out of the sky people could get hurt,” Mr Ebert said. 

“The course shows there’s the right and wrong way of doing it, which ensures you wont have issues.” 

One year after its launch, Mr Ebert said the newly developed TAFE course had attracted more than 400 students across the state, from a range of industries.

Local engineering surveyor Paul Aplin recently completed the two units in Wagga and said it was more than a chance to play with the new toys. 

“For us, it’s about awareness of the rules and keeping myself up to date,” Mr Aplin said. 

“It’s going to be used within the surveying industry, particularly to map roads, bridges and safety works.”

Nigel Marion, of Goldenfields Water Temora, said drones were being used for reservoir inspections to avoid health and safety risks.

“Some of the reservoirs are 26-metres high,” Mr Marion said.

“Sometimes google earth’s just not good enough.”

Another course will be made available in Wagga within the next month.