Also called: Autopilot Developer
Builds autopilot software (like open-source PX4 or ArduPilot) that keeps drones stable and on course.
You write code for a flight controller, simulate it, and then fly it on a test drone. Many developers got started by contributing to open-source autopilot projects as teenagers.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in computer science or engineering; strong self-taught developers get hired too.
Ways in: 4-year college, Self-taught. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering.
Growing much faster than average (about 15% over 10 years).
Medium risk for 10 years. AI writes more autopilot code and tests, cutting some junior coding; safety-critical flight testing and debugging stay human.
Classes: AP Computer Science, AP Physics, AP Calculus, Electronics class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 15-1252.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.