Also called: Spray Drone Pilot, UAS Operator (Ag)
Flies drones to map fields, spot problems, and spray crops in places too small or wet for tractors.
You arrive at a field with a truck carrying drones, batteries, and a mixing tank. You plan the flight on a tablet, launch, and watch the drone spray in neat lines while you swap batteries. Later you process images that reveal which plants are stressed.
Owner-operators with spray drones can earn much more during the season.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 0 years after high school. FAA Part 107 drone license plus Part 137 and state pesticide applicator licenses for spraying.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training, 2-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Precision Agriculture.
Growing much faster than average. No BLS category; spray-drone acreage has grown rapidly.
Medium risk for 10 years. Drones fly preset routes and AI reads the images; licensed operators still load, monitor and spray, but autonomy cuts crew size.
Age 16+. One way to start: Study for the FAA Part 107 drone exam (testing centers, age 16+), then pitch field mapping to local farms or drone services First: FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate; spraying also needs a pesticide license
Classes: Physics, Computer science, Agriculture science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-2099.
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.