Also called: Army 15W, Air Force 1U0 Sensor Operator
Enlisted drone operator who flies tactical drones or runs cameras and sensors on larger ones.
UAS operators launch small drones from a catapult, fly them over a battlefield, and watch live video to spot targets. Sensor operators sit beside RPA pilots, steering cameras. Drone skills are in demand in agriculture, film, infrastructure inspection, and public safety.
Regular military compensation (RMC = base pay + housing and food allowances + their tax advantage) for typical E-1 to E-6 ranks, 2026 estimate. Cash in hand is lower early on because junior troops often live in free barracks and eat in dining halls. Enlistment bonuses can add thousands.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0.5 years after high school. High school diploma, then ~4-6 months of training. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Aviation.
Growing faster than average. Not in BLS projections; drone units are expanding rapidly across all services.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Drones grow more autonomous but far more are fielded; operators shift to running several at once.
Classes: Computer science, Physics, Geography.
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.