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Drone Engineer Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Drone Data Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$109K - $131K/yr

Drone Data Engineer Job Location: Houston, Tx Job Type: Contract * Drone Data Execution Engineer Skydio * Drone Operations Data Execution * Plan execute and optimize drone missions for inspection ...

Drone Sales Specialist - Houston Market (Surveying, Civil Engineering & First Responder Solutions) We are seeking a results-driven Drone Sales Specialist with expertise in surveying, civil ...

As a Drone Pilot, you will be responsible for the safe and efficient execution of complex drone ... A degree or diploma in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Aviation, Geomatics, Engineering, or a ...

As a Drone Pilot, you will be responsible for the safe and efficient execution of complex drone ... A degree or diploma in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Aviation, Geomatics, Engineering, or a ...

Our Blackfoot platform is a tactical FPV drone system engineered for reliability, adaptability, and rapid deployment. We operate in tight feedback loops between design, build, and field use, where ...

Firmware Engineer - Autonomous Weapons & Drone Systems Location: Onsite -Leander, TX Type: Full-Time Eligibility: U.S. Citizenship or ITAR-Eligible Status Required Build the intelligence behind the ...

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Drone Engineer information

See Texas salary details

$12

$52

$75

How much do drone engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average hourly pay for drone engineer in Texas is $52.16, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $37.40 and $69.42 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a drone engineer do?

A Drone Engineer designs, builds, and maintains unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for various applications, including agriculture, defense, logistics, and surveillance. They work on hardware components like propulsion systems, sensors, and flight controllers, as well as software for autonomous navigation and control. Drone Engineers collaborate with other specialists, such as software developers and aerospace engineers, to improve UAV performance and efficiency. Their role also involves testing, troubleshooting, and ensuring compliance with aviation regulations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a drone engineer?

To thrive as a Drone Engineer, you need a solid background in aerospace engineering, electronics, and programming—often supported by a specialized engineering degree. Familiarity with design software (like CAD), embedded systems, flight controller platforms, and relevant certifications such as Part 107 (FAA remote pilot license) are typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, collaboration, and attention to detail help Drone Engineers excel when working on complex projects. These skills and qualities are essential to ensure drone systems are designed, tested, and deployed safely and effectively in real-world applications.

What are the typical career growth opportunities for a drone engineer?

Drone Engineers often start in technical roles focused on design, development, or testing but can progress into senior engineering, project management, or specialized research positions as they gain experience. Many organizations offer opportunities to branch into areas like autonomous systems, software development, or team leadership within the robotics or UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) industry. With ongoing advancements in drone technology, there is also potential to move into roles shaping regulatory, safety, or integration standards. Career growth typically depends on your technical expertise, willingness to stay updated with new technologies, and ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.

How do you become a drone engineer?

To become a drone engineer, typically a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field is required. Gaining experience with drone design, programming, and systems integration, along with proficiency in tools like CAD software and knowledge of flight control systems, is also important. Certifications in UAV operation or engineering can enhance job prospects.

How much does a drone engineer make?

A drone engineer's salary typically ranges from $70,000 to $120,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and specific skills such as UAV design, programming, or systems integration. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced engineers with specialized certifications can earn higher wages.

Is drone engineering a good career?

Drone engineering is a growing field that involves designing, developing, and maintaining unmanned aerial systems. It requires skills in electronics, programming, and aerodynamics, and often benefits from certifications or specialized training. The profession offers opportunities in industries such as defense, agriculture, and logistics, with a demand for technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.

What cities in Texas are hiring for Drone Engineer jobs?

Cities in Texas with the most Drone Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Drone Engineer job openings in Texas as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 85% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $108,503 per year, or $52.2 per hour.

Drone Data Engineer

Houston, TX • On-site

Staffingine LLC
Recruiting and Staffing Services • 51 - 200 employees

$109K - $131K/yr

Contractor

Re-posted 17 days ago


Job description

Job Title: Drone Data Engineer
Job Location: Houston, Tx
Job Type: Contract

Job Description:

  1. Drone Data Execution Engineer Skydio
  2. Drone Operations Data Execution
  3. Plan execute and optimize drone missions for inspection surveillance mapping and monitoring use cases
  4. Ensure reliable collection of highquality video image LiDAR and telemetry data
  5. Oversee mission execution across multiple sites and operational environments
  6. Skydio Platform API Integration
  7. Design and implement integrations using Skydio APIs for
  8. Mission planning automation
  9. Flight data retrieval
  10. Media videoimage ingestion
  11. Telemetry and metadata extraction
  12. Integrate Skydio drone data with
  13. Enterprise data platforms
  14. Asset management systems
  15. GIS systems
  16. AIML analytics pipelines
  17. Handle authentication access control rate limits and API lifecycle management
  18. Data Pipelines Analytics Enablement
  19. Build and manage drone data ingestion pipelines batch nearrealtime
  20. Normalize and enrich drone datasets with spatial temporal and asset metadata
  21. Enable downstream processing for
  22. Computer vision models
  23. Defect detection
  24. Asset condition monitoring
  25. Digital twin platforms
  26. Work closely with data science teams to operationalize AI models on drone data
  27. Systems Cloud Integration
  28. Integrate drone data with cloud platforms Azure

Required Skills Qualifications

  1. Core Technical Skills
  2. 810 years of experience in drone systems robotics or aerial data platforms
  3. Strong handson experience with Skydio API integration
  4. Proficiency in Python mandatory JavaScriptJava is a plus
  5. Experience with REST APIs JSON OAuth and webhooks
  6. Strong understanding of
  7. Drone telemetry
  8. Flight logs
  9. Sensor data RGB thermal LiDAR
  10. Data Analytics
  11. Experience handling largescale video and image datasets
  12. Familiarity with computer vision workflows and AI model integration
  13. Knowledge of GIS tools spatial data formats and mapping systems
  14. Cloud Systems
  15. Experience with cloud platforms AWS Azure GCP
  16. Knowledge of object storage streaming and data pipelines
  17. Understanding of edgetocloud architectures
  18. Domain Experience Preferred
  19. Oil Gas domain experience is prefererred

Skills

Mandatory Skills : SkydioIOT - PYTHON, O&G Upstream