drone pilot
Drone pilots remotely operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They navigate the drone as well as activate other equipment as cameras, sensors as LIDARS to calculate distances, or any other instrumentation.
drone pilot drone pilots remotely operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They navigate the drone as well as activate other equipment as cameras, sensors as LIDARS to calculate distances, or any other instrumentation. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.47 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include digital camera sensors, aviation standards and recommended practices, data protection, unmanned air systems, guidance, navigation and control.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £82,746 a year for Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3511). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
No official India pay figure is available for this career.
Top skills
Frequently asked questions
What does drone pilot do?
Drone pilots remotely operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They navigate the drone as well as activate other equipment as cameras, sensors as LIDARS to calculate distances, or any other instrumentation.
What skills does drone pilot need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include digital camera sensors, aviation standards and recommended practices, data protection, unmanned air systems, guidance, navigation and control, aviation meteorology. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace drone pilot?
Our AI-durability model gives drone pilot a score of 0.47 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.