How to become A Civilian Drone Sensor Operator

• Airborne Sensor Operator
• Aerial Sensor Operator (ASO)
• Aerial Remote Sensing Data Acquisition Specialist
• Aerial Payload Operator

What do Civilian Drone Sensor Operators do?

A Civilian Drone Sensor Operator would typically need to:

• Assist the Pilot in Command (PIC) in ground and flight operations efforts including mission planning, execution, briefing, debriefing, and aircrew resource management
• Assist the PIC in complying with all governing regulations including service guidance, company procedures, and government aviation administration regulations
• Operate the UAV’s payload on the ground and in flight, in support of customer requirements and successful execution of the mission
• Participate in the production flight test of aircraft as needed
• Participate in the preparation and presentation of continuation training for aircraft systems, mission support, and deployed operations
• Instruct UAV students in ground and flight operations and be qualified in multiple aircraft
• Be responsible for observing all legalities and applicable professional obligations
• Work safely per established operating procedures and practices

In general, the working conditions get better as a Civilian Drone Sensor Operator gains experience and can have a wider choice of who they fly for and what sort of flying that agency or company does.

A large percentage of Drone Sensor Operators spend a considerable amount of time away from home because of the diverse locations of collection areas. The basic dress code of a Drone Sensor Operator would be business casual unless otherwise specified, depending on the location, sector, size, and type of company they are employed by.

The working conditions of a Civilian Drone Sensor Operator may vary from working for a regional aerial surveying firm on a part-time basis to working full-time in a large organization with career paths and other additional duties.

Most Drone Sensor Operators have a variable work schedule, working several days on and several days off based on tasking, availability of assets, and weather. Since remote sensing organizations operate flights at all hours of the day and night, work schedules are often irregular.

Most Drone Sensor Operators work for entities specializing in data acquisition & processing or direct interaction with the end-user.

Drone Sensor Operators are generally employed by:

• Commercial Surveying Sectors
• Science Sectors
• Public Safety Sectors
• Government Organizations
• Aerial Surveying-Imaging Firms

Professional associations and organizations are crucial for Civil Drone Sensor Operators interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as a Civil Drone Sensor Operator.

• Need to upgrade your professional knowledge continuously
• Impact of irregular work schedule and travel away from the family, leading to a lack of work-life balance
• Effects of sedentary work environment on health

Flight experience is beneficial and desired but not required.

The following knowledge areas define the baseline of a proficient Civilian Drone Sensor Operator: theory of flight and aeronautics, meteorology, remote-controlled aircraft systems & capabilities, aerial navigation, radio & communication operations, flight & airfield operations and procedures, Crew Resource Management (CRM) and Human Factors (HF), electro-magnetic spectrum, passive sensor systems & capabilities, active sensor systems & capabilities, sensor operations, and maintenance, mission planning & mission management, processing, exploitation and dissemination systems & capabilities.

Completion of a Basic Sensor Operator Course is mandatory. At a minimum, a Drone Sensor Operator should have the required knowledge or training to operate in the flight environment effectively, operate sensors, and provide a usable product to the end-user.

The training avenues for Civilian Drone Sensor Operators are informal programs consisting of on-the-job limited classroom training and immersion with current operations. Informal training usually takes place in-house of established commercial airborne surveying & imaging firms or academic organizations.

The length of each type of training avenue is based on the complexity of the duties required, systems, and the resources available. Informal training usually takes from days to many weeks.

Individuals who wish to operate a UAV in the national air space of a country for commercial purposes may require a remote airman certificate which must be renewed every two years by passing a recurrent Unmanned Aircraft General Knowledge test.

Certificate courses are available from online training schools as well. Certificates offering proof of customer-specific security clearances, job-specific technical know-how, and computer literacy will prove invaluable.

The training may be a combination of on-the-job task certification and enrollment in a correspondence course. It will certify the candidate capable of performing their job with minimal supervision.

As a commercial Drone Sensor Operator, your career path will be marked by progress in the form of higher pay, better working conditions, and a strong reputation.

Candidates who have multitasking skills and are willing to travel to various locations would have the best job prospects.

Drone Sensor Operators need to pass a recurrent general knowledge test on remotely piloted aircraft every two years to ensure they retain the remote airman certificate. The test includes regulations, airspace classification, operating requirements, weather/weather depiction charts, sectional charts, loading and performance (balance, stability, and effects of loading, and performance), operations (airport and emergency procedures, aeronautical decision making, and related subjects).

There is a need for continuous adaptation due to advances in technology resulting in more sophisticated machinery and systems. You must know and understand what the pilot is doing to do your job better.

The Original Purpose - The Innovative Derivations

The primary work of Civilian Drone Sensor Operators or Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)/Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Sensor Operators includes commercial surveying, science, and public safety. Prospective candidates must be between 17 and 39 years of age. Drones were initially designed to replace humans on missions considered too dangerous or not appropriate for human pilots.

The commercial sector includes agricultural, construction, power supply, mining, radio and television, private security, marketing, and real estate industries. The science and academic sector includes developing and testing new remote sensing technology and advancing the knowledge base of specific academic disciplines like archaeology, geology, and meteorology.

Some Logistics

Micro, small or tactical UAV systems usually require one operator who acts as both pilot and Sensor Operator. Typically, a Drone Sensor Operator is positioned next to the UAV Operator/ Pilot at a stationary or mobile Ground Control Unit (GCU) with computer hardware and software to manage flight, sensor, and data-link operations.

Active & Passive Sensors

Drone Sensor Operators work with either active or passive sensors. Typical active sensors used by Sensor Operators include Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Light Detection Ranging (LIDAR), Sonar. Typical passive sensors include Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR), Hyperspectral cameras, thermal cameras, magnetometers, communication/signal receivers.

Drone Sensor Operators routinely work with various other types of aircraft systems (emergency, navigation, radio, intercom, data links, and data recorders), ground data processing, exploitation, and dissemination hardware & software.

The History of Drones - A Bird’s Eye View!

One of the first planned uses of remote sensing and operators occurred during the U.S. Civil War when remotely-piloted balloons were flown over enemy territory with cameras. The first government-organized air photography missions were developed for military surveillance during World Wars I and II but reached a climax during the Cold War. However, the Drone Sensor Operator profession developed ever so more in all industry sectors during these decades with advancements in radar, lasers, radio/signal receivers, and electro-optical/infra-red technology.

An Expanding Industry

With the advancement of smaller and more powerful remote sensing systems and more modest and economically remotely-piloted platforms, the airborne remote sensing industry is expanding in line with many other growing industry sectors in the past could not afford and try to apply this capability.

There are drones the size of insects that are used to search for victims of natural disasters and other catastrophic events.

The 21st century is the era of remotely-controlled aircraft: Civilian Drone Sensor Operators today fulfill a vital need for precision information across industries ranging from the common-place like real estate market to the essential like agriculture.

You may have heard horror stories of low durability, crashes, and short flight time. But the advantages of using drones outweigh their disadvantages. Manufacturers are blending robotics, airframe design, and sensors in many ways. These innovations have created jobs and increased the competitiveness of companies.