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Drone Base Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Drone Operator- Surveyor 1

Medford, OR · On-site

$75K - $85K/yr

Drone Operator - Transmission & Distribution Inspection Kiewit Power Delivery | Field-Based Role ... may vary Base Compensation: $75,000/yr - $85,000/yr (Actual compensation is subject to variation ...

FPV Technician

Torrance, CA · On-site

$70K - $91K/yr

Who we are Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup ...

FPV Technician

Torrance, CA · On-site

$70K - $91K/yr

Who we are Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup ...

Showing results 21-40

Drone Base information

See salary details

$26.5K

$72.1K

$118K

How much do drone base jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for drone base in the United States is $72,117.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $55,500.00 and $85,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the typical responsibilities and work environment for a drone base operator?

Drone Base Operators are responsible for planning, executing, and monitoring unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights for purposes like aerial inspections, mapping, photography, or surveying. They often work both outdoors at various sites and indoors for mission planning and data analysis, sometimes traveling to client locations. Collaboration with engineers, surveyors, or project managers is common to ensure data accuracy and mission objectives are met. Roles can be dynamic, requiring adaptability to weather conditions and specific project needs, which keeps the work engaging and offers opportunities to develop expertise in specialized drone applications.

What is a drone base?

A Drone Base job typically involves piloting drones for various purposes, such as aerial photography, surveying, mapping, or inspections. These jobs can be freelance, contract-based, or full-time positions with companies that utilize drone technology. Pilots may work in industries like real estate, construction, agriculture, or infrastructure inspection. Requirements often include FAA certification (such as Part 107 in the U.S.), experience with drone operation, and knowledge of relevant software.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the drone base position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Drone Base Operator, you typically need proficiency in remote piloting, strong spatial awareness, and an understanding of aviation safety protocols, often supported by FAA Part 107 certification. Familiarity with drone control software, GPS navigation systems, and real-time data collection tools is essential. Strong attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills help operators adapt to diverse scenarios and coordinate with teams. These competencies are vital for ensuring safe, accurate, and efficient drone operations across various industries.

More about Drone Base jobs
What cities are hiring for Drone Base jobs? Cities with the most Drone Base job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Drone Base jobs? The most popular types of Drone Base jobs are:
What states have the most Drone Base jobs? States with the most job openings for Drone Base jobs include:
Infographic showing various Drone Base job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $72,117 per year, or $34.7 per hour.

Sr. Embedded Linux SW Eng, Drone Platform

RED CAT HOLDINGS

Salt Lake City, UT

Full-time

Re-posted 11 hours ago


Job description

Position Summary


We are looking for a highly technical Sr. Embedded Linux / C++ Systems Engineer to develop, maintain, and improve core software services running on our drone System-on-Module platform. This role focuses on C/C++ Linux utilities, system daemons, networking, boot and initialization behavior, logging infrastructure, and integrations with the flight stack, radio systems, and ground-control ecosystem.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working close to the operating system in a resource-constrained Ubuntu-based environment. They can debug complex system behavior, understand networking at a practical level, and contribute to both maintenance and new feature development across critical drone management services.


Essential Duties and Responsibilities


  • Develop, maintain, and troubleshoot C/C++ utilities and services running on an embedded Linux SOM.
  • Support and extend drone management services responsible for button handling, networking setup, radio management, device pairing, and system-level coordination.
  • Maintain and improve PX4 log handling and related flight logging workflows.
  • Help design and build broader logging and diagnostics services for system, application, flight, and network data.
  • Work with bootup behavior, initialization scripts, Linux service startup, and system process management.
  • Support platform components
  • Work with networking systems used by the drone and ground-control ecosystem, including UDP endpoints, MAVLink Router, gRPC, Protobuf, DHCP, DNS, radio networking, and network monitoring tools.
  • Debug and support Radio networking behavior in coordination with other teams.
  • Use tools or diagnostics utilities to investigate system-wide networking issues.
  • Collaborate with flight software, embedded systems, manufacturing, test, and QA teams to diagnose and resolve field and lab issues.
  • Contribute clean, maintainable, well-documented system software for a constrained production environment.

Required Qualifications


  • 7+ years’ experience developing in C and/or C++ on Linux.
  • Strong Linux systems knowledge, especially around services, processes, networking, filesystems, permissions, logs, and startup behavior.
  • Experience scripting in Linux environments using Bash, Python, or similar tools.
  • Practical networking experience, including UDP, DHCP, DNS, ports, routing, and network debugging.
  • Experience working on resource-constrained Linux systems or embedded Linux platforms.
  • Ability to debug difficult system-level issues using logs, command-line tools, and hands-on investigation.
  • Comfortable working on production systems where reliability, maintainability, and observability matter.
  • Strong technical judgment and ability to work independently on ambiguous problems.

Additional Desired Qualifications


  • Experience with MAVLink, PX4, or drone/UAS systems.
  • Experience with MAVLink Router or similar message-routing infrastructure.
  • Experience with gRPC and Protobuf.
  • Experience with radio networking systems.
  • Experience with mesh networks or multi-interface network environments.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions


  • This role will require occasional work in lab, flight-test, manufacturing, or outdoor test environments.
  • Ability to lift, carry, and move materials and equipment weighing up to 25 lbs. and participate in hands-on debugging with drone hardware
  • Requires frequent use of a computer and other standard office equipment for documentation, communication, and coordination tasks.

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participates E-Verify ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with Right to Work rules.

Compensation: Base pay, plus generous annual equity package and potential bonuses.