3 answers
Paris
Student
Sedro-Woolley, Washington
3
Questions
Updated
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Would getting my drone pilot's license be worth it?
Hello! I've recently gotten the opportunity to join a program that would help me get my FAA Part 107 Unmanned Pilot’s License (as well as training in various 3d modeling software). This isn't something I've ever considered before, but now that the opportunity is here I'm interested in learning more. Is drone piloting a hard career to break into? Where would I look for jobs? What's the job like? It's been hard for me to find specific information online about this field, so any information at all would help.
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3 answers
Breezy Duncan
Photogrammetry Specialist and Laser Scanning Technician
1
Answer
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Updated
Breezy’s Answer
Hi Paris! Short answer- yes, I think it would be worth it! Not only because of the drone opportunities, but also the modeling aspects.
Long answer- Your Part 107 license can be a little harder to come by without resources, if you were to decide to go for it later on- with a good class to prepare you, it 's a lot more manageable. The full exam is one that you only have to take once. After that, you only need to complete a much smaller, easier (and free!) online exam every 2 years in order to maintain it. So when I was in your exact position, I did jump at the chance to become a drone pilot! At first, I only did it to have another thing to add to my resume and diversify my value in the workforce... But it turns out that since I went for it, I found that I love flying and have built my career around it.
Drone piloting is not hard to break into at all, and there is a *wealth* of industries and jobs that have a demand for it (3D modeling, too, for that matter- there isn't an industry that exists without CAD). The only barrier that might make it tough to break into, is the potential up-front cost. If you're like me when I started, and can't afford to buy your own drone, then it may be tough for you to get in enough practice to get good at it. If you have a drone at your disposal that you can borrow, or can get a job that is willing to train you up after you get your license, that will be the easiest route.
Note that the info that you learn for the Part 107 exam has absolutely nothing to do with actually controlling a drone, so you can become a Part 107 pilot without having ever touched a drone before. Part 107 is strictly focused on laws and regulations- determining where you are allowed to fly, general safety guidelines type stuff.
Whether you have a resource already lined up that can teach you to fly or not, I would personally still go for the license. As mentioned, 3D modeling is on demand in every industry. There are drone jobs in a number of industries, but the *most common* drone jobs you might find will be in the Construction, Architecture, Event Photography/Videography, Science, Military/Law Enforcement, Telecom, Agriculture, Forensics, Aerospace, and Oil/Gas industries.
The job involves a lot of traveling and outdoors, interpreting aerial maps, checking pilot notifications, filling out applications for permission to fly in certain locations. Depending on the type of job you find, it might involve just showing up somewhere and then getting the drone in the air to take some photos. If you choose a job on the science side, like I did, there will be a lot more in-office planning, theorizing, and data processing than actual flight time.
While in the Part 107 program, check for student drone internships (one resource for this is https://www.faa.gov/jobs/students/internships)
Get Part 107
Practice (Make sure to keep a journal logging all of your flight time)
Get in the habit of regularly searching through available job listings for entry-level drone operators, even if you're not open to a new job at the moment
Long answer- Your Part 107 license can be a little harder to come by without resources, if you were to decide to go for it later on- with a good class to prepare you, it 's a lot more manageable. The full exam is one that you only have to take once. After that, you only need to complete a much smaller, easier (and free!) online exam every 2 years in order to maintain it. So when I was in your exact position, I did jump at the chance to become a drone pilot! At first, I only did it to have another thing to add to my resume and diversify my value in the workforce... But it turns out that since I went for it, I found that I love flying and have built my career around it.
Drone piloting is not hard to break into at all, and there is a *wealth* of industries and jobs that have a demand for it (3D modeling, too, for that matter- there isn't an industry that exists without CAD). The only barrier that might make it tough to break into, is the potential up-front cost. If you're like me when I started, and can't afford to buy your own drone, then it may be tough for you to get in enough practice to get good at it. If you have a drone at your disposal that you can borrow, or can get a job that is willing to train you up after you get your license, that will be the easiest route.
Note that the info that you learn for the Part 107 exam has absolutely nothing to do with actually controlling a drone, so you can become a Part 107 pilot without having ever touched a drone before. Part 107 is strictly focused on laws and regulations- determining where you are allowed to fly, general safety guidelines type stuff.
Whether you have a resource already lined up that can teach you to fly or not, I would personally still go for the license. As mentioned, 3D modeling is on demand in every industry. There are drone jobs in a number of industries, but the *most common* drone jobs you might find will be in the Construction, Architecture, Event Photography/Videography, Science, Military/Law Enforcement, Telecom, Agriculture, Forensics, Aerospace, and Oil/Gas industries.
The job involves a lot of traveling and outdoors, interpreting aerial maps, checking pilot notifications, filling out applications for permission to fly in certain locations. Depending on the type of job you find, it might involve just showing up somewhere and then getting the drone in the air to take some photos. If you choose a job on the science side, like I did, there will be a lot more in-office planning, theorizing, and data processing than actual flight time.
Breezy recommends the following next steps:
John Hand
User Experience Designer
28
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
John’s Answer
Hi Paris,
Congratulations on the opportunity! Here are some things you may want to consider:
- What does this program cost and will it give you the necessary skills, experience, and certifications to land a specific job that you might be interested in?
- Do you enjoy VR, video games, or remote control cars? Flying drones requires fairly good spatial recognition and eye-hand coordination, which you may have already developed as a skill if you have experience with those things.
- What kind of work could you see yourself doing with this skill? There are many video jobs for drone pilots such as filming for cars, boats, vacation destinations, real estate, movies, commercials, shows, etc. These skills could also pair nicely with more science related fields such as running Lidar to explore ruins or archaeological sites, taking samples of air quality, taking field measurements of plants, animals, etc. Drones are also used for espionage and military operations.
- If you have ever experienced VR, do you get motion sickness easily? I have a pretty strong stomach when it comes to boats, but some VR experiences can make me motion sick quite quickly and it can last almost all day. There are tricks to avoiding this, and people can build a tolerance to the symptoms.
- Where do drone pilots "hang out?" You might consider looking for retail stores where you could meet other pilots, learn which companies in your area shop there regularly. You could also look for online forums for drone pilots to try and meet some people who do this type of work and learn from them about where to find jobs. Keep an eye out for conventions, meet-ups, or reach out to specific drone companies to inquire where you could learn more.
I don't have experience with this field directly, but I would imagine that what the work looks like is highly dependent on the role. These jobs likely involve a lot of time traveling and being "in the field," taking direction from creative directors, and viewing storyboards to understand what kind of specific video shots or data is required. It probably involves a fair amount of mechanical repair and technical troubleshooting, and occasionally searching for and recovering drones when they don't make it back. If you enjoy the outdoors, technology, and visually creative pursuits, being a drone pilot may be a good fit for you.
Congratulations on the opportunity! Here are some things you may want to consider:
- What does this program cost and will it give you the necessary skills, experience, and certifications to land a specific job that you might be interested in?
- Do you enjoy VR, video games, or remote control cars? Flying drones requires fairly good spatial recognition and eye-hand coordination, which you may have already developed as a skill if you have experience with those things.
- What kind of work could you see yourself doing with this skill? There are many video jobs for drone pilots such as filming for cars, boats, vacation destinations, real estate, movies, commercials, shows, etc. These skills could also pair nicely with more science related fields such as running Lidar to explore ruins or archaeological sites, taking samples of air quality, taking field measurements of plants, animals, etc. Drones are also used for espionage and military operations.
- If you have ever experienced VR, do you get motion sickness easily? I have a pretty strong stomach when it comes to boats, but some VR experiences can make me motion sick quite quickly and it can last almost all day. There are tricks to avoiding this, and people can build a tolerance to the symptoms.
- Where do drone pilots "hang out?" You might consider looking for retail stores where you could meet other pilots, learn which companies in your area shop there regularly. You could also look for online forums for drone pilots to try and meet some people who do this type of work and learn from them about where to find jobs. Keep an eye out for conventions, meet-ups, or reach out to specific drone companies to inquire where you could learn more.
I don't have experience with this field directly, but I would imagine that what the work looks like is highly dependent on the role. These jobs likely involve a lot of time traveling and being "in the field," taking direction from creative directors, and viewing storyboards to understand what kind of specific video shots or data is required. It probably involves a fair amount of mechanical repair and technical troubleshooting, and occasionally searching for and recovering drones when they don't make it back. If you enjoy the outdoors, technology, and visually creative pursuits, being a drone pilot may be a good fit for you.
Angel S
UI/UX Design Aspirant
387
Answers
India
Updated
Angel’s Answer
Getting your FAA Part 107 license can open up a range of career opportunities in drone piloting, especially in industries like real estate, agriculture, film, construction, and surveying. It's not overly difficult to break into, but it requires practice and familiarity with drone technology. Jobs can be found through companies offering aerial photography, mapping services, or even government contracts. The job involves flying drones for specific purposes like capturing aerial footage, creating 3D models, or inspecting infrastructure. The work offers flexibility but may involve long hours or travel depending on the project.