The UAV system, which has already been successfully tested on contaminated uranium mining sites in Germany, is to be used as part of the remediation of former uranium mining sites in Kyrgyzstan, which has recently begun with international support. In Kazakhstan, an already remediated uranium mining site is to be investigated. The system will make it possible to map the spatial distribution of radioactive contamination as part of remediation planning/implementation. After remediation is completed, the system can be used for quality assurance and post-closure monitoring of remediated sites. In the medium term, local experts should be able to independently carry out the operation and maintenance of a corresponding UAV system. The corresponding training components are planned for this in the DUB-GEM project.

The original plan was to provide the Central Asian experts with the necessary practical and theoretical knowledge in October 2020 as part of a training course at the Königstein uranium mining site of Wismut GmbH in Saxony. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated travel restrictions, the training could not take place in Germany. To ensure the training nevertheless, it was divided into a theoretical and a practical part.

While the practical part of the training is scheduled for the 4th quarter of 2021 on-site in Central Asia, a virtual training course on the theory of UAV flight operations and the acquisition and interpretation of gamma spectrometric data was conducted from April 19 to 23, 2021. Upon completion of the training, 8 experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were given the opportunity to obtain the EU Certificate of Competence A1/A3 on UAV operation. This created the prerequisite for there to be trained UAV pilots in all four DUB-GEM partner countries. The participation of UAV pilots in the planned test flights in Muzbel, Kazakhstan and Mailuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan is a prerequisite for the issuance of the necessary ascent permits. The eight new UAV pilots and the DUB-GEM training team can be proud of their success!