Avtrain, one of Europe’s leading drone training and regulatory consultancy organisations, has announced that it is establishing a UK office in Bristol.
The new base will enable Avtrain to continue supporting existing clients and expand its support for new clients seeking approvals from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said the company in a press release, The Bristol office will focus in particular on UK SORA-based Operational Authorisation applications and on helping eligible operators prepare for the CAA’s developing LUC framework.
Founded and led by Capt Julie Garland BL, FRAeS, who has spent 12 years supporting the drone and advanced air mobility industry through training, certification and regulatory compliance consultancy. Capt Garland is a former Airline Training Captain, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, Barrister-at-Law with 30 plus years crewed and uncrewed experience.
“The Bristol office will provide clients with practical, end-to-end support across the regulatory journey, including concept of operations development, UK SORA preparation, risk integrity and assurance evidence, operations manuals, safety management systems, compliance monitoring, personnel competence and application readiness,” said the company. “It will complement Avtrain’s Dublin base, which will continue to support EASA-related applications and clients across Europe. The office will also support Avtrain’s growing focus on advanced air mobility, helping clients and partners develop the regulatory, organisational and safety foundations required for growth in this emerging market.
Avtrain recently supported Manna Air Delivery throughout its UK Civil Aviation Authority SORA SAIL III application, from initial preparation through to the grant of its SAIL III Operational Authorisation. Avtrain also supported Manna through the Recognised Assessment Entity for Flightworthiness (RAE(F)) process from start to finish, culminating in the grant of the first SAIL Mark Certificate ever issued in the UK. This end-to-end work demonstrates the depth of regulatory, organisational and technical support that Avtrain’s Bristol office will bring to UK clients.
“Establishing a base in Bristol is an important step in Avtrain’s growth and reflects our long-term commitment to the UK market. Bristol is home to an exceptional aerospace and advanced engineering ecosystem and gives us the right base from which to work closely with operators, manufacturers and innovators across the UK,” said Capt Julie Garland.
The UK CAA’s 12-month LUC trial is designed to assess whether eligible UAS operators with mature organisational, safety and compliance systems can be granted privileges to authorise certain operations in the Specific Category without seeking a separate Operational Authorisation for every activity. The CAA has named organisations taking part in the trial, including Bristow, sees.ai, Skyports, Matternet and Callen-Lenz.
Avtrain brings substantial European LUC experience to its UK expansion, having worked with every EASA LUC holder granted a certificate by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).
Avtrain’s Bristol team will support operators seeking to build the governance, competence, safety management and compliance-monitoring capability needed for complex and scalable operations. This includes helping organisations align their operational documentation and management systems with UK SORA requirements and the emerging expectations of the LUC framework.
Avtrain also acknowledged the support of Sean Long of Enterprise Ireland and Yvonne Elsorougi of Invest Bristol & Bath, part of the West of England Combined Authority, in helping the company develop its UK expansion plans and establish connections within the region.
“I would especially like to thank Sean Long and Yvonne Elsorougi for their encouragement, introductions and practical support as we developed our plans for Bristol,” Capt Garland added.
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(Image:From left: Eva O’Hagan, TJ Lazo, Capt Julie Garland, Founder and CEO of Avtrain; Alan Dillon TD, Minister of State for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail; Rowan Kidney-Clarke and Joe Fitzgerald of the Avtrain team, at the Ireland Pavilion, Farnborough International Airshow 2026.)