The current state of the drone job market

[Echo4Thirty]

I suspect a lot of companies no longer farm out this to outside pilots. I am aware of quite a few businesses that found folks already employed that had an interest in drones (or were already 107) and got them licensed and bought drones for the company.

Its such an easy thing to bring in house and to a business, the cost of a typical DJI drone is peanuts. A few even bought the Minis and dedicated them to train new pilots before they allowed them to fly the "big ones"

 

[Echo4Thirty]

I suspect a lot of companies no longer farm out this to outside pilots. I am aware of quite a few businesses that found folks already employed that had an interest in drones (or were already 107) and got them licensed and bought drones for the company.

Its such an easy thing to bring in house and to a business, the cost of a drone is peanuts to a company. A lot of them also bought minis dedicated to training before the pilots were allowed to operate the "big drone"

2) Build your "inventory" and offer more than "just" Drone services. Drone Only is the fastest way to going out of business especially in the Real Estate market. Most every "photographer" added Drone/UAS to their business card several years ago.

Bingo. I love aviation, but my drones have become just another tool in my photography toolbox. I dont have a drone business, I have a photography business that added drones to my abilities to capture stills/video.

 

[BigAl07]

I suspect a lot of companies no longer farm out this to outside pilots. I am aware of quite a few businesses that found folks already employed that had an interest in drones (or were already 107) and got them licensed and bought drones for the company.

Its such an easy thing to bring in house and to a business, the cost of a drone is peanuts to a company. A lot of them also bought minis dedicated to training before the pilots were allowed to operate the "big drone"


Bingo. I love aviation, but my drones have become just another tool in my photography toolbox. I dont have a drone business, I have a photography business that added drones to my abilities to capture stills/video.

And I'll add this, most of the time (no not all of the time) you're better off being a photographer first and adding Drone to your inventory rather than being Drone Only and trying to upscale to a genuinely photography-centric business. Being an experienced photographer will help you Leaps & Bounds in terms of "general UAS photography".

 

[BetterBizWorks]

Let me ask straight out: are there more drone operators looking for drone operation jobs than there are positions available?

I want to fly mapping missions and do structure inspections. Are those positions even available any more? Cause if those positions no longer exist I’ll save my time and quit looking.

There is plenty of low priced work out there by aggregators that just about pay fro drone maintenance. The lower end for drone services is plentiful, but it seems like many of the corporations are adding employees that are getting their part 107s and flying for the company to do mapping and surveying as part of their existing jobs. I am seeing more and more of it. Insurance companies and solar companies. I am still getting work but I'm hunting for the higher end.

 

[TonyPHX]

Oversaturated. Race to the bottom. Not consistent.

 

[wendystroper]

That's spot on! Bringing drone operations in-house seems like the trend nowadays. It makes sense, especially with the accessibility of licensing and the affordability of drones. Plus, training new pilots with smaller models is a brilliant move. It's all about efficiency and cost-effectiveness for businesses diving into drone tech.

 

[Sandy23]

So I posted this same question on Facebook. Let me preface it by saying I am NOT looking for help or tricks and tips on how to get gigs flying drones.

Quite simply I’m looking for opinions on what the status is of employment in the drone industry. The consensus on FB seemed to be that the market is overhyped and over saturated with pilots.

This of course goes against everything any drone training school or 107 test help site would want you to believe.

Your professional, non snarky opinions please.

Thanks and hope all are well. I’ve noticed a lot of drone pilots are struggling to find steady work locally, especially with tighter regulations and market saturation. One option worth considering is looking internationally—there’s actually a growing demand for experienced operators in places like Qatar. I came across this site here that lists various driving and tech-related positions, and some roles might be open to drone operators with the right skills. It’s not a traditional drone job board, but if you’re flexible and want to work abroad, it could be a foot in the door.

The drone industry has definitely exploded in the past few years, but it feels like the market may be reaching a saturation point, especially in certain niches. While demand is still high for aerial photography and mapping, the increasing number of pilots entering the field has made competition fiercer. Some sectors, like agriculture and infrastructure inspection, still offer more opportunity, but I agree with the sentiment that it’s becoming harder to stand out as a drone pilot. It’s also important to factor in ongoing regulatory changes, which can impact job stability. Like any industry, carving out a niche and staying updated with tech and skills will be key to maintaining a competitive edge.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The drone industry has definitely exploded in the past few years, but it feels like the market may be reaching a saturation point, especially in certain niches. While demand is still high for aerial photography and mapping, the increasing number of pilots entering the field has made competition fiercer. Some sectors, like agriculture and infrastructure inspection, still offer more opportunity, but I agree with the sentiment that it’s becoming harder to stand out as a drone pilot. It’s also important to factor in ongoing regulatory changes, which can impact job stability. Like any industry, carving out a niche and staying updated with tech and skills will be key to maintaining a competitive edge.

Let's not forget marketing and sales, which are far more important than excellence to any successful business. The more limited the opportunities, the more critical sales and closing abilities become. Marketing increases the number of opportunities.