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Drone pilot

Also called drone operator, civil drone operator, unmanned aircraft 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.

Will there be jobs?Average prospects27 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Science and engineering associate professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,600 (Bulgaria) to €6,500 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Science and engineering associate professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually post-secondary or a short degree4 in 10 have a degree. 8 in 10 train through vocational routes.Science and engineering associate professionalsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Aircraft pilots and related associate professionals · ILO

What you'd do

Aircraft pilots and related associate professionals · ILO
  • Flying and navigating aircraft in accordance with established control and operating procedures
  • Preparing and submitting flight plan or examining standard flight plan
  • Controlling the operation of mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment and ensuring that all instruments and controls work properly
  • Applying knowledge of principles and practices of flying in order to identify and solve problems arising in the course of their work
  • Examining maintenance records and conducting inspections to ensure that aircraft are mechanically sound, maintenance has been performed and that all equipment is operational
  • Signing necessary certificates and maintaining official records of flight
  • Obtaining briefings and clearances before flights and maintaining contact with air traffic or flight control during flight
Use meteorological informationPerform take off and landingPerform flight manoeuvresHave spatial awarenessEnsure compliance with civil aviation regulations+ 19 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the related, broader US job "Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians"

Will there be jobs?

Average prospects

A typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as science and engineering associate professionals in the EU
7.4m7.3m7.49m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
142,000 new jobs 1,835,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Science and engineering associate professionals27
All jobs29
Right now
4 of 27 countries report a shortage of aircraft pilots and related associate professionals, 5 a surplus.
Aircraft pilots and related associate professionals · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,600 a month (Bulgaria) to €6,500 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually post-secondary or a short degree

Post-secondary training or a short degree in transport services is the usual route.

Highest qualification of science and engineering associate professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 41%Vocational 43%General secondary 7%Basic schooling 9%
Field that teaches it
Transport services
Vocational route, EU
8 in 10 trainees in this field
Services graduates in a matching job
59% in the EU

819 institutions in the EU offer services bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.27 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 7 tasks
Preparing and submitting flight plan or examining standard flight plan0.35
Signing necessary certificates and maintaining official records of flight0.33
Obtaining briefings and clearances before flights and maintaining contact with air traffic or flight control during flight0.31
Controlling the operation of mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment and ensuring that all instruments and controls work properly0.26
Flying and navigating aircraft in accordance with established control and operating procedures0.24
Examining maintenance records and conducting inspections to ensure that aircraft are mechanically sound, maintenance has been performed and that all equipment is operational0.22
Applying knowledge of principles and practices of flying in order to identify and solve problems arising in the course of their work0.22

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for aircraft pilots and related associate professionals. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).