As we know Drone piloting is a lucrative and thrilling business. According to Insider, this sector will grow to $ 63.6 billion in the coming three years. All this only shows that the demand for drones is going to increase in different sectors in the coming times, along with the need for drone pilots.
However, as drone technology is still relatively new, many people are still not very aware of drone pilot jobs near me and they still do not know how much money they can earn as a drone pilot. To get us started now, I have put together this list of some of the best drone piloting opportunities.
You can pick from many niches, but the best jobs for drone pilots include:
- Geologist
- Agricultural inspector
- 3D modeler
- Real estate photographer
- Search and Rescue personnel
- Broadcast journalist
- Archeologist
Come get to know a little bit about all these niches and you will see which one of these niches is going to be right for us so that we can work well in it.
We are going to discuss here the important things that we should know before starting our own business for a drone pilot. Keep reading this article of ours to know all those important things.
What can we do with a drone?
His primary role as a drone pilot is to remotely operate an aircraft to perform critical tasks such as photography, mapping, surveying, and observation. There are different types of drone operators, which perform the tasks:
- military drone pilot jobs
- commercial drone pilot jobs
- hobbyist drone pilot
A military drone pilot is given specialized training depending on the service branch. For example, to operate a drone in an army or air force, it is mandatory to be a commissioned officer. Although the Air Force does not demand any pilot license for this.
To become a civilian drone pilot, first of all, you will need a Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC). The FAA requires this certification before a drone pilot is allowed to operate a drone commercially.
We must clear a written test before we can get a Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC) and apply for jobs as a good Drone Pilot.
Here are some of the main drone pilot job-hunting sites:
drone base
droners.io
In fact
ZipRecruiter
Here are some of the best drone pilots available to us:
Cinematographer:
In today’s movies, filmmakers give more importance to drone cinematography while filming. Aerial shots taken with a good drone camera make for a nice dramatic effect and make it easy for the audience to see things in the film from a completely different perspective.
With the help of a drone, the time taken for a set can be significantly reduced. Film gear, camera cranes, used by filmmakers usually take a lot of time to transport and install. If helicopters took aerial shots while filming a movie, hours of time would have been wasted.
However, when filmmakers use a drone, the setup takes very little time.
As a filmmaker, he knows how to use cinematography to bring a story to life and has a lot to offer, and the one unique film element that can convey it well is the scale. Even though this can be well and easily accomplished by using a ground camera to photograph a character standing close to a massive structure, ground cameras are not yet as efficient as using drone cameras.
The use of drone cameras by filmmakers to film scenes adds invaluable depth to their film, enabling them to get a more comprehensive view as a producer.
Filmmakers often choose to pilot a drone to film key aerial scenes because of their high level of skill in safely operating a drone.
The cost of daily drone use during a film production in 2018 was approximately $4,000-$12,000, more than double the $20,000 for a copter. From this, we can expect the aerial shooting gigs available to drone photographers to be plentiful for the ages to come.
Agriculture Inspector by Drone:
Drones are used to check crops as agricultural inspectors. They:
- take pictures of plants
- Inspect fields for pests and weeds
- measure growth rate
Then those images obtained from the drone are passed on to agricultural institutions and farmers so that it becomes easier to find out if there are any problems with their crops.
Drones proved to be very useful for surveying a vast area as a drone increases the efficiency of our work by enabling us to obtain higher-resolution images than any other survey method.
Which can guide us to accurately estimate our annual returns, especially in volatile market conditions, and to make a correct crop production decision and manage expectations.
Apart from this, such irregular areas where humans have to face great difficulties in walking or preparing their map. We can find the right solution in the form of a drone. Examples are some wide areas that can be dangerous for an operator – especially those we must do on foot. drone technology in the agriculture
Archaeologist:
Archaeologists all over the world use drones to get a better idea of the ancient ruins. Those archaeologists fly over ancient sites to take high-resolution pictures of the artefacts and try to learn about the specific location.
Drone technology provides us with photogrammetry, an accurate map of a site, and a data-rich approach that makes it easier for groundworkers to determine new remains and excavation sites. With the help of which we can reduce the cost of the costly cost of excavation as well as save time in fieldwalking. The drone is no less than a boon for those interested in archaeology.
The data obtained from drones ensured us breakthroughs in archaeology that would have made it easier for us to know how ancient people lived. and what were their daily activities.
Multispectral imagery is what archaeologists say is the most commonly used drone imagery. Whatever our situation, we can easily get a real-time aerial view of a site by using tools like Thermal Live Map.
Additionally, we use its generated map to locate the areas of focus. Multispectral imagery enters the ground, with the help of which we can easily identify objects embedded below the ground surface. Which generally takes its estimate from being warmer than the surrounding soil.
In addition, we can also use this bird’s eye view to identify areas that have noticed a significant increase in vegetation recently, which may indicate a burial artefact.
3D Modeler:
Due to the ease and geometric accuracy of 3D models of what is created by drone images, drones are used in a wide variety of fields.
Any construction firm uses a drone for their frequent site updates and evaluation of the progress of a site and they can also easily inspect different site areas with its help. Because of the accuracy of a 3D model by a drone, they are applicable in the calculation of areas, distances, and volumes.
Also, with the help of a drone one can get an up-to-date view of a scenario. Another application of drones in land surveying at the beginning of any major project is the creation of comprehensive models:
- Bare earth
- True orthomosaics
- 3D Terrain
- Digital surfaces
Its help makes it easy for an inspection firm to efficiently and safely examine the angles of previously viewed property and equipment. An inspection firm makes it easier for itself to identify potential issues with the help of complex drone 3D models, which make them easier to interpret. And that facilitates the initial imagery examination to get a better view of an area we get.
Journalist:
Drones are also used a lot for journalism nowadays, most journalists use a drone to cover breaking news for themselves. Some obtain exclusive footage with the help of a drone at major sporting events such as the Super Bowl.
The drone makes it easy to capture stunning videos and images. Otherwise, they cannot be well received in the presence of the public.
The primary advantage of using drones in journalism is their low cost. If a helicopter is used instead, it will be a costly decision. The rent of which costs thousands of dollars per hour, which can only be afforded by the wealthiest media organization.
On the other hand, a beginner or freelance journalist can easily purchase a drone and use it professionally and use it as a recurring intelligent tool for their media coverage. For example, the DJI Mavic Mini 2 is the cheapest drone that costs less than $500, which can easily shoot an incredible 4K video for journalism.
By using a drone in place of a helicopter, we can save human life from endangering. Now you must be thinking that how is the use of helicopters in danger to human life. For example, being a journalist using a drone to photograph toxic spills and battlefields can prove to be much safer than a crewed helicopter.
Geologist:
As a geologist, drones are used to search for natural resources and map mineral deposits. With the help of which he is a geologist to visit gold mines, coal mines and all other types of mines, in addition to gas and oil.
A drone is used to collect data from difficult and unstable areas such as high walls, deep mines and crests where it is very difficult for a human to access.
Collecting aerial data from a drone’s explosion sites greatly reduces human hazards as well as makes a daunting task much easier.
In most cases, a geologist’s survey and mapping of a mineral site is a lengthy process. Which today saves both money and time by a mining company replacing a drone pilot with a crew piloted aircraft.
In addition, drone technology allows the collection of unlimited information, including fine measurements, when photographing high-level orthoimages.
One of the most challenging issues of managing its reserves as a mining company is its huge high-end zone, which changes from time to time. Who thinks it right to use a drone to build an aerial ground model of the inventory for herself.
Effective stock management can bring a number of benefits to a mining company, including maximizing the grade for that company.
Search and Rescue Member:
Rescue mission teams take the risk of endangering the responders as well as evacuating people from risky situations. To reduce this risk, an increasing number of rescuers are relying on drones to get help while rescuing people from risk.
We can easily scan rough and large areas with the help of drones to quickly locate the missing people and collect all the relevant information even before the arrival of the rescue team. In this way, a lot of time consumption and risk can be avoided. Which prepares us to start work quickly.
While we pray to God that you never have to take the help of any rescue team in future. The reality is that there is already a great demand for these rescue teams. As we know that natural disasters are increasing continuously for a few years now.
Climate change is also happening due to the continuous development in the world, due to which natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, tsunamis are increasing. Which influences the inhabited human life. In which the rescue team is needed to save the trapped people.
Apart from this, with the continuous increase in outdoor activities in developed countries like the United States of America, in remote areas, there is a need for more of these teams. Consistent SAR groups are insufficient in some places, as most people depend on volunteers to staff their ranks.
To overcome these problems, those rescue teams have to complete their mission on time with fewer resources.
A rescue team can get accurate data at a faster rate to make their mission successful without risking their lives and spending too much with the help of a drone, as we can do using a helicopter. Is.
So, before doing this on-site drone piloting, we should have drone pilots training along with the skills to get out of any risky terrain. So that in future we don’t have to face any big problem.
Real Estate Photographer:
As aerial surveyors, we use a drone to collect data about real estate properties. With the help of which we can get many types of information. like
Is the property right for development
How much land is used to build a property
An aerial surveyor can use his findings to make such maps for a building. What do potential buyers like and what are they getting themselves.
What kind of infrastructure is required for a building
Financial advisors use drones to continuously check on real estate properties once they are listed. Drones are also increasingly used to measure and ascertain land values. So that the houses that are sold or unsold have a fair value.
Drone homes for sale Aerial views of ready-made homes are captured with the help of the first drone. So that through those images the buyers can easily get an idea of what the house looks like when viewed from above.
Best drone shots for real estate
Is There a Future for Drone Pilots?
Assessing the demand for piloting a local drone will be an essential first step towards opening your own private drone business. We can only meet this need through adequate local research.
It has been said that national surveys in the drone sector give a sure shot of rapid growth, which will inevitably affect the opportunities for local drone pilots.
Today many enterprises are looking for qualified drone pilots for themselves to expand their drone programs efficiently and in order to fulfil all their requirements by hiring them and expanding their drone program optimally.
Until recently, some businesses only hired full-time drone pilots. But as the use of drones increases over time and new regulations developed for drone pilots, more paid and full-time positions become available.
The demand for drone pilots is largely based on the ever-increasing need for inspection, survey and mapping. Drone technology is largely used in the entertainment and media sectors, along with important industries such as real estate and infrastructure.
There is no need to tell you that the need for drone solutions is constantly increasing from many other industries including law enforcement, agriculture, industry and more, which is going to increase even more in the future.
How Much Do Drone Pilots Make a Year?
Very few of us understand how lucrative it can be to operate one’s drone as a drone pilot. Many people can easily make thousands of dollars every month by operating a commercial drone.
But the thing to know today is drone pilot jobs salary is actually earning easily these days?
For example, in the United States today, the average salary for a drone pilot is $58,000 per year. Which may vary slightly from state to state, which may be slightly more or less than the average salary
Washington ranks first in the list of drone pilot salaries in the United States, followed by Maryland second and Nebraska third. Nebraska increased the average salary of a drone pilot by 5.8% while Washington did better by increasing the salary of a drone pilot by $5,723 (9.8%).
Having said that, the demand for a thriving drone pilot in Washington is constantly increasing, because he has a lot of job opportunities for a drone pilot in many many companies.
How Do You Become a Professional Drone Pilot?
If you really want to become a good and highly sought professional drone pilot then you have to master the art of drone flying completely. A flight simulator will be enough for us to know how to fly a drone even if we don’t have our own drone.
Flight simulators are going to be a good place to start as an entry level drone pilot jobs. However, we have to get our own drone and learn how to operate the real thing properly.
If you have already chosen your career as a drone pilot then it is probably best for you to buy good quality and high-class drone as compared to a mid-range drone model and not later you should buy your cheap drone. will need to be upgraded.
For example, if we are looking to make a career as a drone pilot in mapping, we can opt for a drone like the DJI Mavic Air 2 which lacks camera quality. Instead, we can opt for a better drone like DJI Inspire 2. And you can avoid your long term expenses.
Get Licensed:
To fly a drone commercially and legally, we need a faa drone pilot license. In the United States, the FAA oversees this license. There are similar agencies in other countries that issue these licenses to a drone pilot, although the process varies by nation and agency.
Train:
When it comes to drone pilot training, we have a plethora of online drone training courses to offer, ranging from basic drone flight expertise to industry-based drone skills like photography and surveying.
However, all these courses are not going to be the same for us. For us, some of these offer practical techniques for skill development and some are meticulous. We should also be aware that some people just gamble with “tutorials” in the name of helping you advance your skills.
Acquire Industry-Based Knowledge:
Are we all set to earn a lot of money, with a professional drone piloting license? However, without the experience of a good drone pilot, it is difficult to get a good job and earn money.
When we think of starting our career as a commercial drone pilot, it is important for us to get proper training for that. Be it mapping, agriculture or any other important industry, we have to invest time and money to master certain things which set us apart from any other job seeker.
Get Insured:
We should not think that a standard business policy is sufficient for us, as it does not have the potential to require an insurance policy. If we are just starting out in our career, we should consider and opt for a flexible insurance policy that covers all coverage for actual drone flights for a drone pilot.
As our business expands, we are going to need a more comprehensive policy to fully protect our business.
Parting Advice:
In the early days of our drone pilot career, we aim to capture and gain experience from any drone piloting gigs that we encounter along the way and hone our experience so that we can build our portfolio.
A good place for us to start is by creating our own DroneBase account, however, for us, this job-hunting technology may not bring us any benefits in the long run.
Still, we need to earn some experience and money to build our good career as well as to increase our confidence. So, initially, we don’t have to think too much about the jobs we get as drone pilots.
We hope that whatever you are trying to know through this article, you must have got to know. Subscribe to us to get information related to such drones.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q Is a Drone Pilot a Good Job?
As Drone Piloting we can get a good salary. Drone pilot is a very fast expanding profession nowadays which is playing a big role in the day to day work in many big industries. However, there are some areas in this too where only professional pilots can work well and earn good money.
Q Can you make a living as a drone pilot?
“We can make a few hundred bucks for a package of real estate photos,” said drone pilot Vic Moss, a Denver resident who also co-owns the online community DroneU. “Flying drones part-time can make us $600 or $600 per week, and just by flying full-time, we can easily make six-figures like this a year.
Q How hard is it to learn to fly a drone?
It is quite difficult for us to master drone flying, especially for a beginner drone pilot who has absolutely no knowledge about drone flying. This is the reason why many beginners take drone flying courses or they start their drone pilot with flight simulation software.