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CourseDefense, Military Engineering & Land Systems Applications open

Course on Ethics in Military Aerial Autonomy

300-hour online course on ethics in military aerial autonomy. 6 modules covering the Harvard Manual on International Law Applicable to Air and Missile Warfare (HPCR, 2009), Additional Protocol I (1977) and MATLAB/Simulink. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.

Duration300 h
ModeOnline
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute certificate
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Describe the degree of autonomy of current air systems.

02

Identify the ethical issues specific to the air domain.

03

Apply air and humanitarian law to autonomy.

04

Analyse the certification and trust challenges in systems with AI.

05

Evaluate institutional governance models.

06

Integrate ethical criteria into the development of air systems.

07

Produce an ethical analysis of a case of aerial autonomy.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Aviation ethics analyst who wants to specialise in Ethics in Military Aerial Autonomy.
  • Certification engineer for autonomous systems who wants to specialise in Ethics in Military Aerial Autonomy.
  • Aeronautical legal adviser who wants to specialise in Ethics in Military Aerial Autonomy.
  • Human factors researcher who wants to specialise in Ethics in Military Aerial Autonomy.
  • Defence policy analyst who wants to specialise in Ethics in Military Aerial Autonomy.
  • University lecturer in aerospace engineering who wants to specialise in Ethics in Military Aerial Autonomy.
  • Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter the aeronautical industry.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Harvard Manual on International Law Applicable to Air and Missile Warfare (HPCR, 2009)
  • Additional Protocol I (1977)
  • Chicago Convention (1944)
  • US DoD Directive 3000.09 (2023)
  • MIL-HDBK-516C (airworthiness criteria)
  • EASA concept paper on AI in aviation
  • NATO Principles of Responsible Use of AI (2021)
Syllabus

6 modules · 300 h

  1. 1.1Evolution from autopilot to autonomy
  2. 1.2Collaborative combat aircraft
  3. 1.3The loyal wingman concept
  4. 1.4FCAS and GCAP programmes
  5. 1.5Automated air defence and reaction times
  6. 1.6Missile defence systems and automatic mode
  7. 1.7Autonomous refuelling and air logistics
  8. 1.8High-endurance surveillance aircraft
  9. 1.9Airspace management with autonomous aircraft
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of the 2003 Patriot incidents
  1. 2.1Speed of decision and human control
  2. 2.2Delegation of decisions in the chain of command
  3. 2.3Physical and moral distance of the pilot
  4. 2.4Risk to the pilot versus risk to civilians
  5. 2.5Human-machine teaming in the cockpit
  6. 2.6Automation bias in crews
  7. 2.7Risk of escalation in air engagements
  8. 2.8Virtue ethics of the military aviator
  9. 2.9Testimonies from pilots and remote operators
  10. 2.10Workshop: dilemmas in an air defence scenario
  1. 3.1The 1923 Hague Rules on Air Warfare
  2. 3.2Harvard Manual on Air and Missile Warfare
  3. 3.3Protocol I and attacks from the air
  4. 3.4Precautions in bombing and incidental damage
  5. 3.5Civil aviation and the Chicago Convention
  6. 3.6Shooting down civil aircraft: MH17 and PS752 cases
  7. 3.7Weapons review under Article 36
  8. 3.8CCW debate on autonomy
  9. 3.9NATO air doctrine
  10. 3.10Practice: legal analysis of the PS752 case
  1. 4.1Airworthiness of autonomous systems
  2. 4.2EASA guidance on machine learning
  3. 4.3Verification of AI functions in flight
  4. 4.4Simulation and flight testing
  5. 4.5Runtime monitors
  6. 4.6Explainability for the crew
  7. 4.7Aviation cybersecurity
  8. 4.8Flight logs and traceability of decisions
  9. 4.9Calibration of trust
  10. 4.10Laboratory: evaluation of a decision-support assistant in a simulator
  1. 5.1NATO ethical principles for AI
  2. 5.2AI strategies of defence ministries
  3. 5.3Military ethics committees
  4. 5.4Ethics training for pilots and operators
  5. 5.5Transparency before parliaments and society
  6. 5.6University research and collaboration with defence
  7. 5.7Export control of autonomous air technologies
  8. 5.8European cooperation and industry
  9. 5.9Proposals for international confidence-building measures
  10. 5.10Case study: designing an ethics review committee
  1. 6.1Selection of the autonomous air system
  2. 6.2Concept of operations
  3. 6.3Autonomous functions and degree of control
  4. 6.4Ethical analysis of scenarios
  5. 6.5Applicable legal analysis
  6. 6.6Certification and trust requirements
  7. 6.7Governance recommendations
  8. 6.8Monitoring plan
  9. 6.9Report and presentation
  10. 6.10Final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, Zotero, NVivo, Python, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assessments are based on real procedures: analysis of historical air incident cases, an ethics evaluation workshop, and review of certification criteria. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.

Accredited laboratories(EN ISO/IEC 17025) with rotor test rig, EMC/Lightning pre-compliance, HIL/SIL, vibration/acoustics.
Evidence-oriented final project:safety case, test plan, compliance dossier and operational limits.
Industry mentoring:teaching staff with experience in training, , eVTOL/UAM and flight test.
Flexible format(hybrid/online), international cohorts and support from SEIUM Career Services.
Ethics and safety:safety-by-design approach, cyber-OT, IHL and compliance as its pillars.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Selection of the autonomous air system

Describe the degree of autonomy of current air systems.

Concept of operations

Identify the ethical issues specific to the air domain.

Autonomous functions and degree of control

Apply air and humanitarian law to autonomy.

Ethical analysis of scenarios

Analyse the certification and trust challenges in systems with AI.

Applicable legal analysis

Evaluate institutional governance models.

Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Aviation ethics analystCertification engineer for autonomous systemsAeronautical legal adviserHuman factors researcherDefence policy analystUniversity lecturer in aerospace engineering
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior qualification required.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme is 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with a full-time job.

You work with MATLAB/Simulink, Zotero, NVivo, Python. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.

SEIUM's own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.

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