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Contract Uav Operator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Tycho AI, Inc

UAV Flight Test Lead

Cambridge, MA · On-site

... contracts, we are building breakthrough AI and autonomy solutions for unmanned systems operating in ... As UAV Flight Test Lead, you will plan and own the campaigns that take our aircraft from bench and ...

New

Maytag Aircraft

$16.25 - $20.75/hr

The mission of Maytag Aircraft is to provide the best in contract services in support of U.S ... The expansion of our services to UAV/UGV provides our customers with a proven reputable Service ...

Maytag Aircraft

$16.25 - $20.75/hr

The mission of Maytag Aircraft is to provide the best in contract services in support of U.S ... The expansion of our services to UAV/UGV provides our customers with a proven reputable Service ...

Endurion

Senior Air Operations Advisor

Tampa, FL · On-site

Founded and led by former Special Operations Forces operators and mission experts, the organization ... Endurion is looking for a qualified person to support our multi-year contract with the Joint ...

Endurion

$120 - $180/hr

Founded and led by former Special Operations Forces operators and mission experts, the organization ... Endurion is looking for a qualified person to support our multi-year contract with the Joint ...

Endurion

Senior Air Operations Advisor

Tampa, FL · On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Founded and led by former Special Operations Forces operators and mission experts, the organization ... Endurion is looking for a qualified person to support our multi-year contract with the Joint ...

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Contract Uav Operator information

What is the difference between Contract Uav Operator vs Drone Pilot?

AspectContract Uav OperatorDrone Pilot
CertificationsFAA Part 107 certification, remote pilot licenseFAA Part 107 certification, remote pilot license
Work EnvironmentProject-based, on-site or remoteOn-site, aerial filming, inspections
Employer & IndustryContracted by companies for specific projectsEmployers, media, agriculture, inspection firms

Both Contract Uav Operators and Drone Pilots require FAA Part 107 certification and often work in similar environments. The main difference is that Contract Uav Operators typically work on a contractual basis for specific projects, while Drone Pilots may be employed directly or freelance. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify job expectations and career paths in the drone industry.

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Contract Uav Operator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contract Uav Operator job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 39% Full Time, 59% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution.

Mission Operations Specialist (UAS Pilot)

Long Beach, CA • On-site

Odys Aviation
Aviation • 11 - 50 employees
Learn more about Odys Aviationexternal

Full-time

Re-posted 16 days ago

Job description

About Odys
Our mission at Odys is simple - we build safe, sustainable aircraft to cut travel time in half on the world's busiest corridors. Our flagship aircraft Alta enables travelers to skip the big-airport hassle by using city helipads and local airports to connect cities less than 1,000 miles apart (approx 40% of flights). And on average cut CO2 by 76% on tens of billions of flight miles globally.
To get there, we start with our UAV called Laila for commercial logistics, medical transport, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and defense missions. We're deploying aircraft with launch partners (Fiji Airways, Honeywell, Aramex, US Navy) beginning in 2026 and already have firm orders for aircraft under contract.
We're a team of expert engineers from deep tech and aerospace that focus on fast iterations loops (completed transition flight faster than our peers) combined with mastery of the aircraft certification process. Previously, our team developed custom drones, brought multiple automotive platforms into production, and electrified transportation vehicles that magnetically levitate, that roll, that fly. Together, we've been learning, developing, building, testing, and preparing for this challenge our entire lives.
We are seeking a highly skilled UAV Pilot to join our Flight Test & Operations team as a Mission Operations Specialist. In this role, you will serve as the primary Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) for our developmental eVTOL Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms, piloting complex, novel aircraft from the Ground Control Station (GCS) during live test events.
Beyond the stick, you will own the operational and regulatory groundwork that makes each flight possible - integrating the GCS, drafting Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), securing flight authorizations, and partnering with engineering to translate test objectives into safe, executable mission profiles. You will leverage your flight test background and deep knowledge of EASA JARUS SORA and FAA Part 107/108 regulations to safely advance our aircraft from early R&D testing through to commercial certification.
Key Responsibilities
  • Serve as the primary pilot at the Ground Control Station (GCS) during live experimental flight tests, safely executing mission profiles on complex, novel eVTOL UAV architectures.
  • Translate engineering objectives into safe, executable flight test plans and pilot them dynamically within a rapid prototyping and testing environment.
  • Lead the development of Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and operational risk assessments. Secure flight authorizations and waivers by applying the EASA JARUS SORA framework alongside FAA Part 107 and FAA Part 108 (BVLOS) regulations.
  • Take ownership of the integration, testing, and troubleshooting of Ground Control Stations (GCS). Ensure seamless command, control, and telemetry flow between the GCS and aircraft via C2 links and high-bandwidth datalinks.
  • Manage the integration, functional testing, and operational deployment of various R&D flight test payloads (e.g., telemetry equipment, optical sensors, ballast systems).
  • Apply established UAS flight test methodologies to optimize test efficiency, safety, and operational procedures for our autonomous eVTOL UAV platforms.
  • Collaborate closely with R&D engineering teams to analyze post-flight telemetry, evaluate handling qualities, validate C2 link robustness, and refine vehicle design based on real-world flight execution.
Required Qualifications
  • Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate with a proven logbook demonstrating significant flight hours as an RPIC on complex UAS or developmental eVTOL UAV platforms.
  • Demonstrated hands-on experience piloting complex, multi-rotor, or thrust-vectored vertical lift UAVs in an R&D, experimental, or operational test environment.
  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Aviation, or a related technical field.
  • Professional experience in experimental, R&D, or certification flight test programs - whether as a UAV operator/pilot, Flight Test Engineer, or both.
  • Practical experience executing the EASA JARUS SORA process, coupled with deep expertise in the FAA Part 107 and FAA Part 108 frameworks for complex or Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.
  • Hands-on experience with Ground Control Station (GCS) integration, specifically focusing on:
    • Command and Control (C2) link architecture and performance validation.
    • Datalink integration (telemetry, video, and command streams).
    • Hardware and software payload integration.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Familiarity with additional FAA aircraft certification frameworks (e.g., Part 21, Part 23, Part 27).
  • Experience with flight test data analysis software (e.g., IADS, MATLAB, Python) to support rapid R&D iterations.
  • Human Factors Evaluation Experience - pilot interface design, workload assessment, GCS ergonomics, or HMI evaluation in flight test settings.

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