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Heli Pilot looking to transition to UAS

Avigator

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I recently interviewed with a UAS logistics company called Zipline. I have a second interview next week. I am currently a 2500 hr helicopter pilot and have a decent, steady job.

Has anyone made the transition from traditional aviation into the UAS world? Anyone familiar with Zipline or drone delivery companies?

I would be taking a step back in pay and taking a somewhat entry level role with hopes to move up in the ranks quickly. My thinking is that the ceiling will be much higher with a UAS company as I believe that industry will continue to grow and innovate while establishing itself and cutting in to markets that traditional aviation currently hold. This is just an assumption though, I am really completely new to the commercial drone world.

Thanks for any input
 
Hi Avigator,

I am currently interviewing with DroneUp, first phone interview on Monday 6/6, for a sUAS pilot position with one of their Walmart drone delivery sites (don't know where yet). I have worked for myself as an aerial photographer and as an employee at a Surveying & Civil Engineering company doing LIDAR mapping of construction sites with a 200k drone!. I have since quit the Surveying job as the pay was very, very low (less than $20 an hr) and the hours were long and working at construction sites is not fun! Wasn't for me.

Can you tell me why you are looking to leave a "decent" full-time flying job for lower pay and an insecure future? In my opinion, the Commercial drone industry is still very much in it's infancy...and who knows what will happen in the next couple of years. With the FAA's remote ID requirement comming next year...it will have a dramatic effect on the industry and weed out the weak players.

Zipline is one of the drone delivery companies contracted to do drone delivery with Walmart. I would like to know how your first interview went (and how your second one goes) and I will tell you how mine with DroneUp goes...it would be very interesting to compare the 2 companies.
 
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Avigator, my thoughts are don't quite your day job. With 2500 hours you have the option of going many different directions in the aviation community. I'm ex Navy, and flew commercially (non airline) for many years. I would still be flying commercially but I'm 73 years old so you know what that means, no more commercial work.
There may be people out there making well over a 100k a year in the UAV business but I don't know any. I think entry level for customs is about 117k a year.
Now in this business I have heard a lot of promises with very few truths to the commitments. I would think the only guys making the big bucks are those shooting for Hollywood, but then you must be a professional videographer and I assume one with a ton of experience, but that is just my guess.
Commercial aviation is short of pilots, the pay is good, working conditions are so so, but one can make a good living. You can always transition to fixed wing and go with the airlines that way you don't even need to fly the plane most of the time.
Lots of opportunities for helicopter crop dusters as well as fixed wing crop-duster pilots. I don't know anything about Zipline but there are several companies attempting to broker UAV jobs and most don't pay squat.
If you really want to transition to UAV I would recommend trying it first as a side gig and see where the money really is.
Best of luck to you.
 
I am also interested in the Droneup program as I have been chosen to move ahead. Im not sure if they can afford me? The reason I say this is I would have to move to the city of Dallas in order to fly for Droneup. Its very expensive out there to just get up and move to another city to fly drones from a fixed point all day long. I would think it might be terrible if someone on my team remarks about how I fly and being in a team is not how this old fart flew drones, and still fly commercially. Droneup was not too popular back in the day paying 35$ shots on 125.000 work when I knew about them. I am going this coming weekend and with the depression, it will cost about 400.00 for gas and a hotel room to check what they have to offer. I was told that there may be relocation paid to some pilots starting out. Any feedback or information appreciated!
 

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