Becoming a drone pilot is a lucrative career option for the young generation. Drone pilots are assisting different industries with their skills in flying the unmanned aircraft system. Controlling a vehicle without actually being in the driving seat is one skill that is bringing a revolutionary change in agriculture, surveillance, delivery, and more areas.
If you are above 18 years of age and are still searching for a career option that establishes you in monetary terms along with providing great satisfaction then searching ‘how to become a certified drone pilot’ can help you a lot. In order to fly drones, one has to complete the process of obtaining a flying license.
How to get started?
To begin with, being a drone pilot requires you to hold the drone pilot’s license along with insurance and a drone. The complete process of how to become an FAA-certified drone pilot will be discussed later in this post. But before that, it is important to understand that today there exist various rules and regulations for drone pilots.
There are different types of drones available at present, and one must hold an experience flying these drones before entering the industry. Moreover, as there are so many version updates with drones, one has to go through regular training sessions to stay in line with the standards and regulations.
What is the role of drone pilots?
While many young individuals are still not aware of the existence of a career as drone pilots, there are many people who are becoming successful in this field of flying. Just being fascinated by the term drone pilots will not help you in making a wise choice. For a thoughtful decision, it is important to know the role of drone pilots in detail.
Essentially, the drone pilots are serving the agricultural industry, architects, surveillance teams,s, and various other industries. A popular role of drone pilots is to be drone photographers. Apart from that, they are members of the intelligence department with the higher officials. Altogether the drone pilots are full-time or part-time professionals. They are helping businesses with marketing, surveillance, mapping, aerial photography, videography and so much more.
How much does a drone pilot earn?
Just knowing about the job role may not be a strong temptation to become a drone pilot. Every person thinking of building a career in any particular industry wants to know about the potential earnings of that industry. A good drone pilot at present can earn somewhere between $60,000 to $80,000 a year. Because drone pilots also work as freelancers, there exists immense potential in this field. Furthermore, it gives the drone pilots enough flexibility to work on other areas of interest as well.
The process to become a commercial drone pilot:
After knowing all the great things about being a drone pilot, we will jump into the process of becoming a commercial drone pilot. Undoubtedly, this is a growing industry and hence there are regular updates in the rules and regulations. Currently, to become a commercial drone pilot one must:
- Get a drone license – As mentioned earlier, drone photographers are in great demand in various industries. But are you aware of the fact that if you sell drone photographs without holding a proper license then you may earn a fine from the FAA? In order to use a drone for any commercial purpose, it is mandatory to get hold of the drone pilot’s license. One has to register with the ICARA and get an appointment for your flying test. Post the clearance of the test you will obtain your flying license. It is also necessary to renew your flying license at regular intervals.
- Purchase drone insurance – Just obtaining the drone license does not allow you to start using a drone for commercial purposes. Purchasing drone insurance is one step you can not skip. Your professional or personal insurance does not necessarily include drone insurance. This is why every commercial drone pilot has to purchase drone insurance before working in any industry of their choice. Make sure your drone insurance covers the drone, cameras, etc in case of any crash or damage.
- Pick a drone – Now the drones available in the market come in many varieties. Choosing the right drone as per your work requirement is essential. For a drone photographer or videographer, it is vital to pick a drone with sharp details. Once you decide on the drone of your choice, then you have to register your drone with the FAA before you start using it professionally.
- Begin flying – After completing all the three steps you are now ready for flying. As a commercial drone pilot, one has to follow the rules and regulations mentioned on the FAA website. Flying as per the rules will not put your license at risk and you can enjoy creating content with the help of your drone.
Final Note:
To conclude, the prospects for drone pilots are bright. This is not a saturated industry and it enables individuals to combine their areas of interest. While the process of obtaining the license of a drone pilot may seem overwhelming, it is worth the effort. So whether you are an 18-year-old, figuring out your career option, or are wanting to switch your career to something more interesting, the drone pilot is one field you must keep on your list.