Have you ever wondered how much a drone operator earns annually? Maybe you’re trying to find out what the highest paying drone jobs are. At Rocket Drones, we are passionate about preparing students for high-paying jobs in the drone industry with long lasting career implications and room for growth. In this article, you will learn about how much you can expect to make as a drone operator, what some of the top paying drone jobs are, and how you can prepare yourself to get hired in a competitive field. 

Average Salary of a Drone Pilot

Drone pilots have the ability to make a comfortable living with a six-figure annual salary. According to a recent aggregate from ZipRecruiter, in the United States, the national average salary for a drone pilot is $130,916 per year. This average can rise and fall depending on which state you are operating in and competitiveness of pay from company to company. California, Washington, and Virginia are among the highest-paying states for drone pilots. With any job, it’s important to take into account the potential cost of living in each state and how that could affect hourly wages.

Highest Paying Drone Jobs

If your goal is to maximize your income with a career in drone piloting, it’s important to know which applications are paying the most. As always, there are many variables that go into determining the pay for a drone pilot, including certifications, experience level, which state you live in, and more. On average, below are a few of the drone piloting gigs that are paying big bucks in the United States. 

Surveying & Mapping

Although it may not be the most adrenaline-pumping use for drones, surveying and mapping have seen tremendous benefits as drone technology has advanced. The enhanced imaging and ability for the cameras to pick up on unique topography means that a single operator can provide a suite of data and content that is worth its weight in gold for developers. Most construction sites and survey jobs require the drone operator of his or her FAA Part 107 Certification as well as all of the necessary insurance on hand before hiring for a job. Paired with experience level, these qualifications allow the drone operator to charge a premium hourly rate for services. 

FPV Drone Filming

Using some of the latest drone technology, FPV (first person view) drone operators use very fast and nimble drones with special goggles to pilot drones through tight turns and twists to create unique cinematic moments on screen. The skill level barrier to entry is high to become proficient on these platforms, meaning that the most talented operators are being paid extraordinarily well when joining both commercial and motion picture film teams. 

Utility Inspection

Our reliance on electricity is more critical than ever before. That means that maintenance for utilities like power poles is paramount. Unfortunately, the traditional methods for inspection and maintenance always involved sending a trained technician up in a bucket. With the latest in UAV technology, drones can inspect areas of utilities that are historically difficult or even impossible to get to for a human. This is also of enhanced importance when inspecting in rural areas where terrain and distance have been a challenge for traditional inspection crews. What used to take days to weeks is now possible in just a few hours with better imagery and geotagging capabilities to start building an archive for future inspections. Drone operators who possess the certifications and insurance necessary for this work can charge competitive rates and still save utility companies money. 

Agriculture Sprayers

Perhaps one of the more recent drone applications, farms and the agricultural industry at large have benefited tremendously from modern drone technology. Originally, drones were deployed on farms for information gathering, security reasons, and to check on crop health. Now, large drones have been outfitted with spraying devices to spread pesticides and fertilizers on crops autonomously. This is a much more effective way time wise to apply chemicals over a large area. Additionally, using drones has enabled operators and farmers to be much more exact with their measurements, saving thousands on sprays that would have been wasted in the past. Drone pilots with agricultural expertise are in high demand across the nation and can make great money  partnering with farmers. 

Security

Deploying security measures for an asset or building is an important part of several businesses. Normally, a mixture of mounted cameras and manned patrols have been the standard for securing the perimeter of any area. While this can be effective, 24-hour security roving details come at the cost of hourly wages for employees or annual contracts with a security firm. Drones have given companies an opportunity to send up a UAV to check for breeches, irregularities, or unauthorized personnel in a secure area. Even better, drones outfitted with high-definition camera systems are able to take photos and videos to create a database of imagery that can be instantly downloaded and accessed. Drones can also function in treacherous conditions such as challenging terrain and inclement weather where it would normally be too dangerous for a person. 

How Rocket Drones Prepares Students for High-paying Careers

Rocket Drones was designed to make an immediate impact on your school’s curriculum and prepares your students with everything they will need to secure a paid career in drones upon graduation. Introducing students to drones as early as middle school with our classroom STEM kits, we empower them with opportunities to log real flight hours, start building a portfolio, and obtain the FAA Part 107 Certification by the age of 16. Rocket Drones students graduate from high school as turnkey employees ready to be hired the second they set foot in the job market. 

If you’re ready to take the next step with Rocket Drones at your school, learn more about it and get in touch with us on our curriculums page.