- knowledge of media production and communication
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- leadership skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
- knowledge of English language
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
As a commercial drone pilot, you'll:
- plan flight paths
- test flight equipment
- carry out aerial surveys
- gather digital images and data
- maintain and repair drones
- produce maps based on flight data
- work with other professionals to interpret data
You could work on a film set, on a construction site, in the countryside or in a control room.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers and you may spend nights away from home.
You may be able to complete a qualification like the Level 3 Certificate and Level 4 Diploma in the Remote Piloting of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Examples of work you might do includes:filmmaking, TV and marketing; weather forecasting; mapping land use for farming or archaeological work; inspecting infrastructure like bridges and tall buildings; surveying air accident sites as part of investigations
If you have engineering qualifications, you could move into drone design and development work.
You can get more advice about working and training as a drone pilot from Dronesafe and the Civil Aviation Authority.
