What does a patrol pilot do?

As a patrol pilot, your job is to fly a small aircraft on behalf of a government agency or private company and keep watch for a specific type of problem during their daily operations. For example, some states hire fire patrol pilots to fly through the air and look for signs of wildfires and provide initial fire suppression, while businesses may hire aerial patrol pilots to supervise the area and help deter any third-party activities that might impact pipelines or remote facilities. Patrol pilots also support other law enforcement and security efforts, such as by monitoring the national border or helping the highway patrol pursue a fleeing vehicle. Most patrol pilots fly small aircraft, but in recent years, this job has expanded to include piloting drones and looking at live video feeds.