What Do Drone Pilots Do?

Drones, which are unmanned aircraft systems, are used for a wide variety of purposes, including gathering intelligence for the military, monitoring the status of crops and endangered animals, assessing the damage caused by natural disasters like tornadoes and floods, and inspecting utility lines in hard-to-reach areas. 

You’ll be wondering, what do drone pilots do?

Drone pilots are responsible for flying unmanned aircraft (UAS). They use drones ranging in size from those no bigger than a pointing device to the 44-foot-long, 115-foot-wingspan.

Drone pilots are in demand by the military, other branches of government, and private industries like agriculture, filmmaking, mapping, and environmental science. 

Pilots have many responsibilities, including conducting reconnaissance missions and shooting photos and videos from above. Military drone pilots control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that drop bombs on distant targets.

Let’s learn more about the people operating the drones!What Do Drone Pilots Do

What Do Drone Pilots Do?

Simply put, commercial drone pilots are responsible for operating drones on behalf of businesses in a wide variety of sectors and a wide variety of purposes. 

While some businesses utilize drones for marketing objectives, others use them for security concerns. Business owners hire commercial drone pilots to fulfill a variety of drone-related tasks.

How to Become a Drone Pilot?

Instructions for Becoming a Drone Pilot for Profit:

Register your drone with the appropriate authorities:

Getting your drone pilot’s license is the first order of business on your way to becoming a drone pilot. A violation of FAA regulations prohibiting the sale of drone photographs without a permit carries a possible fine of $1,100. 

If you want to use a drone for anything other than enjoyment or official business, you’ll need specific authorization from the government. A Part 107 license, just after the rule that establishes it, is the term given to this type of authorization.

The ICARA (Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application) is where you’ll start the process of getting your license to fly, and the FAA-approved testing center where you’ll take the written test is where you’ll pay the $175 fee. 

Usually, this refers to a regional airport or flying club. There are approximately sixty multiple-choice questions in this exam, all of which pertain to the fundamentals of drone operation and the need to keep oneself and others safe. If you want to pass, you need to get at least 70% of the questions right.

Each applicant should be at least 16 years old and in possession of a valid photo ID issued by their respective government. The FAA also requires that you be in good physical and mental health to fly a drone and that you be able to read, write, and speak English. 

Waiting lists for the exam can be several weeks long, so it’s essential to check with your local testing center to see how long you might have to wait. About 700 venues throughout the USA are used for administering tests.

The Federal Aviation Administration provides a free, two-hour training session with an accompanying online study guide, but registration is required. Taking mock exams can help you learn more material and feel more at ease during the real examination.

Your test results will be made available to you within 48 hours. The next step is to apply for a remote pilot’s license. To get your certificate, the TSA will first run a background check on you.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has broken down the steps necessary to become a drone pilot into six simple categories. There is a particular emphasis on the first three:

Make an appointment at a (Knowledge Testing Center) to take your drone exam.

Take and complete a test measuring your knowledge of aviation.

Fill out FAA Form 8710-13:

You’ll be notified via email once you’ve finished those requirements and your background check has been successful. You will soon receive a certificate certifying your proficiency as a remote pilot. Be sure to carry your license whenever you take off with your drone.

Get covered with drone insurance:

The next step is to acquire commercial drone coverage. Don’t assume this will be covered by your homeowner’s, auto, or business insurance. These days, drones are typically not covered by insurance policies. 

Instead, it is recommended that you invest in a comprehensive drone insurance plan from a reputable provider, such as Avion or AIG, to cover any mishaps that may occur. Coverage for your drone, its accessories, and any people or property that can be injured in the event of an accident is a must.

Choose a drone:

Finally, you’ll require the drone itself. Client-commissioned videos should look polished and expert in every way, from the focus and framing to the lighting and color palette. It’s possible to get by with a smaller, less capable drone, such as the $789 DJI Mavic Air, but you should spring for a larger, more adaptable drone, such as the DJI Inspire 2 with a camera like the Zenmuse X5S. 

With this setup, you may capture stunning 4K footage like in nature documentaries. However, this setup won’t come cheap, setting you back around $5,000.

No matter what kind of drone you buy, you must have it registered. Flying an unmanned aerial system (UAS) or drone weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds necessitates registering the aircraft with the FAA. A new registration fee of $5 is due every three years.

Lift off:

As a professional drone pilot, you are required to follow specific regulations. The following regulations necessitate a waiver per the FAA.

Make sure you have an exemption for the above requirements or are in full compliance with Part 107 before taking to the skies. If you can’t demonstrate more than just the bare minimum to pass your drone licensing test, you probably won’t land many high-paying projects.

Dozens of local training opportunities may be discovered with just a few clicks of the mouse on Google. Spending the money to enroll in a course and learn how and where to fly your drone safely is preferable to learning on the job.

If you’ve followed the rules and had sufficient training, you will feel confident flying your drone for pay. Your ability to charge more for your services is directly proportional to the amount of expertise you have in passing and finishing commercial tasks.

Uses of Commercial Drones:

From the pilots’ perspective, we will discuss drones’ current and potential uses.

  • Drones have several uses in agriculture and can help farmers in many ways. According to several people working in the unmanned aerial vehicle industry, drone technology has a lot of potential in agriculture. 
  • Drones can be used for mapping the land and studying the irrigation systems, which will help farmers save money in the long run by allowing them to detect sick plants early and conduct an accurate inventory.
  • Drones are also helpful in the building and construction industries, where they are being used by both architects and general contractors. Images and videos of a site can be used by architects to construct 3D models of future buildings.
  • Among the most obvious uses for drone technology is in the field of distribution. Delivery by drone is another interesting application, despite the low maximum load-bearing weight.
  • The use of drones in emergency services, especially in the medical field, opens up new possibilities for saving lives. The ability of emergency service physicians to provide care in dangerous conditions may be improved by using drones to gain an aerial perspective on the situation or to transport medical supplies to trapped victims.
  • Drones are also being used by engineering companies for tasks including oil pipeline construction, transmission wire installation, and preventative maintenance checks.
  • Drone technology can be utilized for environmental monitoring and preservation in the same way that farmers use them to keep tabs on crops and animals. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are silent, so they can spy on wildlife populations without worrying the creatures.
  • Particularly helpful around the coasts, this kind of monitoring can shed light on conservation initiatives, migration patterns, habitat management, and flood assessments.
  • Drones are also a natural fit for the media. In the past, only major media outlets could afford to send a news helicopter to a scene. For the first time, local journalists and smaller media outlets have an easy way to record aerial footage for reporting.
  • New technologies necessitate training and education. Companies like DARTdrones offer not only UAV pilot training but also education on FAA rules and applications.
  • Online Drone Training: Producing online lessons for people interested in drone piloting might be a low-cost and high-return business strategy for drone pilots with extensive experience behind the controller. 
  • Skilled drone pilots can create a curriculum tailored to their specific interests, professional backgrounds, and skill sets, all while earning a passive income.
  • If you are an experienced drone pilot in possession of a high-end drone or fleet of drones, you may choose to explore renting them out to other pilots, businesses, and interested parties. 
  • In its analysis, Deloitte cites statistics from the FAA that show that seventeen percent of all commercial drones are employed in the insurance industry. Relationships between drone pilots and local insurance providers and claims adjusters are crucial to this business model. 
  • Insurance adjusters may focus on helping clients who have experienced loss or damage to personal property thanks to the rapid photographic damage assessment The report’s drafting is made possible by the strong business connections between drone pilots and policy specialists.

How much does one expect to earn as a professional drone pilot?

Drone pilots should expect a wide range of salaries due to the increasingly freelance nature of the industry. Each project and business sector has its unique hourly rate. Drone pilots can expect an annual income of $70,000 in 2022, according to Glassdoor. 

However, a DroneU poll found that the top earners might make as much as $1,200 for a day’s labor. Though average annual earnings for a drone pilot are challenging to predict, the field has the potential to generate well into the six figures. Naturally, to accomplish such an objective, a large number of projects will need to be accepted.

Conclusion:

We hope that now you completely understand what drone pilots do. Everything you need to know to get started on the path toward becoming a drone pilot is right here in this article. Today, commercial drone piloting is a growing industry with the potential for high earnings. However, you’ll need some cash to pay for the gear, training, and insurance required to get your pilot’s license. You need to be prepared to invest in your future success if you wish to fly drones.

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