K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
Now is a great time to be a drone pilot. It’s also a great time to become a drone pilot.
Job opportunities for qualified operators are expanding in industries such as construction, energy, package delivery, and public safety. What’s more, leading drone companies and UAV-related organizations are offering training programs to ensure that the industry will have the pilots it needs as it continues to grow.
Drone pilot jobs can be challenging, rewarding—and lucrative. A review of opportunities for drone pilots stated that median annual salary in the field is $58,280. However, the report said, some pilots can command as much as “six-figures flying drones commercially.”
Where can you find these jobs? A February 2022 Commercial UAV News article asserted that dozens of industries will be looking for talented pilots in the coming years, but demand will be particularly high in the fields of surveying and mapping, delivery, construction, inspection, and security. Here’s what experienced pilots and those new to the field need to know about those industries:
Continue reading: https://www.commercialuavnews.com/assessing-the-options-and-opportunities-for-drone-pilots-in-2022
Job opportunities for qualified operators are expanding in industries such as construction, energy, package delivery, and public safety. What’s more, leading drone companies and UAV-related organizations are offering training programs to ensure that the industry will have the pilots it needs as it continues to grow.
Drone pilot jobs can be challenging, rewarding—and lucrative. A review of opportunities for drone pilots stated that median annual salary in the field is $58,280. However, the report said, some pilots can command as much as “six-figures flying drones commercially.”
Where can you find these jobs? A February 2022 Commercial UAV News article asserted that dozens of industries will be looking for talented pilots in the coming years, but demand will be particularly high in the fields of surveying and mapping, delivery, construction, inspection, and security. Here’s what experienced pilots and those new to the field need to know about those industries:
- Surveying & Mapping: Pilots in surveying and mapping need to understand sophisticated technologies as well as know how to fly their vehicles. That’s because the surveying and mapping industry is using drones connected with specialized software and imaging equipment to capture aerial images and thousands of data points. It is recommended that pilots seeking work in these fields invest in high quality equipment and receive advanced training on imaging and data analysis.
- Drone Delivery: One of the many lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic was that more and more consumers and business want fast, inexpensive deliveries. To fill that need, major companies like Walmart, UPS, Flytrex, and Amazon are investing heavily in the drone delivery space. Smaller companies are also looking to add drones to their delivery platforms. All of these firms will need pilots. If you’re interested, just remember that you’ll need special FAA certification to operate a delivery drone.
- Construction: Opportunities abound for qualified pilots working in the construction space. Drone operators conduct pre-site surveys, create progress reports, take detailed measurements, plan post-construction marketing, and even work on promotional videos and photo shoots. During a recent Commercial UAV News webinar, Jonathan Beaty of Kiewit Geospatial Services reported that drone operators working in construction tend to come from inside the industry itself. He said that many individuals who become construction drone pilots perform other roles in an operation, and they learn UAV piloting skills as part of an expanded role.
- Inspection: The fields of agriculture, industrial, utilities, energy, and mining have been using drones for inspections for many years. Using sophisticated cameras and sensors, drone operators may be called on to assess and monitor assets such as pipelines, powerlines, irrigation equipment and more. Just like work in the construction and surveying and mapping sectors, work in this industry requires a knowledge of both piloting and imaging technology.
- Security: Security operations use uncrewed vehicles to monitor secure facilities, help with surveillance of highways, coastlines, and borders, and provide crucial intelligence to ensure safety at large public events. As in the construction industry, pilots in this field often start by working in traditional security functions and then receive specific training in drone operations.
Continue reading: https://www.commercialuavnews.com/assessing-the-options-and-opportunities-for-drone-pilots-in-2022
