Also called: Police Drone Pilot, Public Safety UAS Operator
Flies police drones from a control room to 911 scenes so officers know what is happening before they arrive.
DFR pilots launch a drone from a rooftop dock within seconds of a 911 call, fly it to the scene, and describe what they see to responding officers: a suspect running, a fire, or a lost child.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 0.5 years after high school. FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate; some are sworn officers, others civilians.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Criminal Justice.
Growing much faster than average. Rapid adoption across U.S. police departments.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Docked drones increasingly fly themselves to calls; one operator will watch many, with fewer pilot hires per program.
Age 18+. One way to start: Pass the FAA Part 107 drone exam, then apply to police departments or DFR contractors for civilian pilot jobs First: FAA Part 107 certificate plus a police background check
Classes: Physics, Geography / GIS, Computer science, Video production.
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.