UAV Pilot

[wan2fly99]

Was trying to Google and see what there is involved to becoming an uav pilot.
Do you guys think there might be any jobs in this field in Canada and is it worth pursuing and where>

I am at an age where becoming a pilot it not possible even though I have all my licenses, but age you cannot esacpe

Thanks for any info

[Taiser]

I'm a UAV pilot in my outfit. There are no specifics on this. My outfit had to get an SFOC to fly and the training was provided by the manufacturer of the UAV. We fill out our SFOC and requirements to TC and as long as we follow the rules we're good, this is for commercial use and all outfits have different requirements. Non commercial use there are few rules, just buy one on Amazon and head out (just stay away from control zones and no peeping tom uses). Companies that have these things usually just name current employees on the SFOC and a bit of training and your good to go. The rules are under scrutiny right now and changes I'm sure are coming but as far as pursuing a job in Canada, there's nothing out there AFAIK...

[jeta1]

Very exciting actually... Currently most if not all UAVs are within line-of-sight flight, and we are still in the "hobby+" stage, relatively few commercial operators, mostly photo/video stuff or thermal imaging for commercial properties. (check iseeit.ca) . Most UAV operators/pilots (are they really "pilots", by the way?) are self-taught, often techies, brainiaks and hobbyist - not average pilots - through raw initiation, practice, trial , error, and membership with MAAC or such model aircraft clubs. If you are new at this, I would start at one of those clubs if I were you, start by doing some model flying and grow from there. Then buy yourself a decent rotorcraft UAV for fun and practice. The real breakthrough is still far down the road, when "outside line-of-sight" commercial flight will be allowed (will it ever?). Example : you could working for Amazon.ca and fly a drone/package delivery from point A to point B. Amazon is doing tests both in the US and Canada and is in talks with the FAA and TC. FedEx, UPS and others are certainly paying attention too. You have a good idea because I was thinking same, that I could be a contract UAV pilot, based in my basement, everything done remotely. The Americans are scuffing at the recently announced Canadian rules and exemptions to the SFOC (go to www.tc.gc.ca/safetyfirst to read about that). The FAA rules will be more restrictive, at least that's what we read online.

[wan2fly99]

Thanks guys for the replies.
Basically you have to know some company that might be doing this as I read thru posts.
Well I have been flying RC aircraft since 1983. That is why I thought it might be good to see if there is any positions here.

Thanks again