Drone/UAV Specialist

Technology & Design

Flies drones to capture aerial imagery, topographic data, and progress documentation for a project, one of the few construction roles with a hard federal license requirement.

What is a Drone/UAV Specialist?

A Drone/UAV Specialist operates unmanned aircraft to capture aerial photos, video, and survey-grade topographic data for a construction project, site progress documentation, volumetric measurements of earthwork, and increasingly data that feeds directly into a BIM model. Unlike most roles on this site, this one has a clear-cut federal requirement: the FAA requires anyone flying a drone for commercial purposes in the United States, which covers virtually all construction use, to hold a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, earned by passing the FAA's aeronautical knowledge test. There's no ambiguity or workaround here; flying commercially without it is a real regulatory violation.

What they do

• Plan and fly drone missions to capture site progress photos and video
• Capture aerial data used to calculate earthwork volumes and verify grading
• Process captured imagery into orthomosaic maps and 3D point clouds
• Coordinate flights with site safety requirements and, near airports, FAA airspace authorization
• Deliver processed data to project teams, estimators, or the BIM/VDC team for use in the model
• Maintain and inspect drone equipment and keep required flight logs

A typical day

• 8:00 AMCheck weather and airspace conditions before planning the day's flight
• 9:00 AMFly a site progress mission, capturing imagery of the week's earthwork
• 11:00 AMProcess captured imagery into an updated site orthomosaic
• 1:00 PMDeliver volumetric earthwork data to the estimating team
• 3:00 PMInspect and maintain drone equipment, and log the day's flight hours

Skills

Software

Education

Required:

High school diploma or equivalent, plus an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, legally required to fly a drone commercially in the U.S., including for construction site work; there is no substitute or workaround for this one

Preferred:

Background in surveying, photography, or GIS

Not necessary:

A four-year degree; many drone specialists come from a surveying, photography, or field construction background and add the Part 107 certificate on top

Career progression

1. 1.Drone Pilot / Operator
2. 2.Drone/UAV Specialist
3. 3.UAV Program Manager (for companies running fleets across multiple projects)

Who hires for this role