Columbia Gorge Community College has become the first institution in the Pacific Northwest offering “Trusted Operator Program ‘Level One’” certification training for commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicle pilots.  “Level One” is the first of three certification levels established by the Association for Unmanned Vehicles International, a global non-profit dedicated to the advancement of autonomous systems and robotics.  Pilots holding Level One certification have demonstrated their competence to fly UAVs for certain commercial purposes.  CGCC will be seeking Level II certification as a service provider by late summer of this year, in which certificate holders demonstrate the ability to operate in more demanding conditions.  Ultimately, the college hopes to achieve Level III certification, for pilots who demonstrate their ability to pilot UAVs for very specialized, industrial applications such as inspection of high-voltage transmission lines and wind turbine blades.