Drone Pilot Resume Guide
Drone pilots fly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for a variety of purposes. Commercial drone pilots may fly drones to take photographs or videos for real estate companies, wedding planners, or other businesses. Drone pilots who work for the government may fly drones for surveillance or intelligence-gathering purposes. Some drone pilots are self-employed and offer their services to anyone who needs them.
You have the skills and experience to fly a drone like a pro. But potential employers don’t know about your abilities, so you need to write a resume that highlights your strengths.
This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.
Table of Contents
The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.
Drone Pilot Resume Sample
Paxton Zboncak
Drone Pilot
[email protected]
763-783-4277
linkedin.com/in/paxton-zboncak
Summary
Proficient drone pilot with 6 years of experience in commercial applications. Adept at flying drones for photography, videography, and mapping purposes. Certified by the FAA to fly drones commercially. At XYZ, flew drones to capture aerial footage of properties for real estate marketing purposes. Piloted a drone for 50 hours over the course of 3 months to create an accurate 3D map of a 200-acre property.
Experience
Drone Pilot, Company ABC
Fremont, Jan 2018 – Present
- Spearheaded the development and implementation of a new drone delivery system that increased efficiency by 25%.
- Coordinated with a team of 5 engineers to develop a new drone prototype that could fly in adverse weather conditions.
- Reliably flew drones for 10 hours per day, delivering packages to customers on time and without incident.
- Tested different prototypes in a variety of real-world scenarios to assess their feasibility and performance.
- Calibrated drones before each flight to ensure accuracy and safety.
Drone Pilot, Company XYZ
Eugene, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017
- Represented the company in 50+ events, flying the drone and demonstrating its capabilities to potential customers.
- Repaired drones when they returned from flights, replacing parts as necessary and ensuring that they were in good working condition before the next flight.
- Resourcefully used spare parts to fix drones when no replacement part was available, reducing downtime by 2 days on average.
- Compiled data from each flight into reports, detailing any issues that arose and suggesting possible solutions; created a database of over 100 potential clients.
- Fixed software glitches in the drone’s operating system, allowing it to fly for longer periods of time without crashing; increased flight time by 15 minutes on average.
Skills
- Drone Operation
- FAA Regulations
- Airspace Management
- Flight Planning
- Aircraft Maintenance
- Radio Communication
- Weather Patterns
- GPS Navigation
- Visual Line Of Sight
Education
Drone Pilot Certificate
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
Certifications
Drone Pilot License
FAA
May 2017
1. Summary / Objective
Your resume summary/objective is like a teaser trailer for the rest of your resume – it should give the employer essential information about you and, if written correctly, compel them to read on.
Some things you could mention in your summary include your experience flying drones commercially, your Part 107 certification, and how you helped grow a business’s drone program from the ground up.
Below are some resume summary examples:
Seasoned drone pilot with 5+ years of experience in a wide range of environments, including photography, videography, mapping, and surveying. Certified by the FAA for both commercial and private drone use. Skilled in operating drones equipped with various payloads and sensors. Seeking to leverage my skills as a drone pilot at ABC Co., where I can contribute to your aerial data collection efforts.
Passionate drone pilot with 4+ years of experience flying drones for photography and videography purposes. Seeking to capture beautiful aerial shots and videos at ABC. At XYZ, created stunning visuals for 6 national commercials, 3 music videos, and 2 feature films. Won “Best Cinematography” at the LA Film Festival for work on short film “The Last Goodbye.”
Talented and experienced drone pilot with more than 500 hours of flight time. Certified by the FAA and Insured. Experienced in flying various types of drones for photography, videography, and surveying purposes. Seeking to leverage my skills to help ABC company capture amazing aerial shots and footage.
Dependable and detail-oriented Drone Pilot with 4+ years of experience flying drones for photography and videography purposes. Proven ability to capture high-quality photos and videos while adhering to all safety regulations. At ABC, piloted drones for 25 weddings, averaging 10 hours of flight time per event. Seeking to leverage expertise in aerial photography to help grow the business at XYZ.
Accomplished drone pilot with 2+ years of experience flying in various environments and conditions. Trained in search-and-rescue operations, mapping, and photography. In previous roles increased productivity by 30% via the development of an automated flight plan that streamlined data collection. Seeking to leverage skill set to safely and efficiently capture images for ABC Corp.
Driven drone pilot with 3 years of experience in photography and videography. I am passionate about using my skills to capture unique perspectives and create stunning visuals. My work has been featured on major news outlets such as ABC, NBC, and CBS. I am excited to bring my creative eye and technical expertise to your company in order to produce high-quality content that will engage and inspire your audience.
Energetic and experienced drone pilot. In previous roles increased efficiency by 35% and decreased fuel costs by 19%. Certified in both the United States and Canada. Seeking to leverage my experience and skillset to take on more challenging projects with ABC Corporation.
Hard-working and certified drone pilot with 3+ years of experience in providing aerial photography and videography services for a variety of clients. Proven ability to operate drones safely and efficiently in different environments while adhering to all regulations. Seeking to leverage expertise in flying drones to provide high-quality services at ABC.
Enthusiastic and certified drone pilot with 2+ years of experience flying drones for photography, cinematography, and surveying purposes. Skilled in operating various types of drones under different conditions. Seeking to join the ABC team to provide top-quality aerial footage for their clients. In previous roles increased customer satisfaction by 20% through providing high-quality images and videos.
2. Experience / Employment
The work history/experience section is where you list your previous jobs. This should be written in reverse chronological order, with your most recent job at the top.
Stick to bullet points for this section; they’re easier for the reader to scan and understand. When writing the bullets, try to include specific details about what you did and the results achieved.
For example, rather than saying “Flew drones,” you could say, “Operated drones for photography and videography purposes, capturing footage of weddings, real estate properties, and other events.”
To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:
- Piloted
- Operated
- Controlled
- Monitored
- Maintained
- Inspected
- Checked
- Tested
- Fixed
- Repaired
- Upgraded
- Calibrated
- Adjusted
- Set up
- Assembled
Other general verbs you can use are:
- Achieved
- Advised
- Assessed
- Compiled
- Coordinated
- Demonstrated
- Developed
- Expedited
- Facilitated
- Formulated
- Improved
- Introduced
- Mentored
- Optimized
- Participated
- Prepared
- Presented
- Reduced
- Reorganized
- Represented
- Revised
- Spearheaded
- Streamlined
- Structured
- Utilized
Below are some example bullet points:
- Utilized a remote control to operate a drone for photography and videography purposes, capturing footage of landscapes, real estate properties, weddings and other events.
- Achieved a 96% success rate in completing assigned tasks within the specified timeframe; often completed tasks ahead of schedule.
- Mentored new team members on proper drone operation and safety procedures; created an instructional guide that is used by the team today.
- Actively communicated with clients to ensure that their specific needs were being met; provided them with regular updates on project status.
- Revised flight paths for 50+ drones to avoid obstacles and ensure timely package delivery, resulting in a 5% decrease in average delivery time.
- Participated in 10+ drone races, coming in first place 3 times and second place 5 times; helped to promote the company’s brand by wearing branded clothing and flying with a branded flag attached to the drone.
- Inspected drones before each flight to ensure that they were in good working condition and had enough battery life; replaced parts on 15 drones that were not up to par.
- Presented new ideas for improving the current drone delivery system at monthly team meetings, such as adding GPS tracking devices to all packages so that customers can see where their package is at all times.
- Efficiently completed 100+ flights without incident, delivering packages safely and on time; received positive feedback from customers regarding promptness of service.
- Prepared the drones for flights by conducting thorough pre-flight checks and inspections.
- Monitored the drones during flights and adjusted course as necessary to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- Post-flight, downloaded data from the drones’ onboard computers and analyzed it to identify any areas needing improvement.
- Facilitated the delivery of 50+ packages a day via drone, ensuring that all items arrived on time and in good condition.
- Diligently maintained the drones, conducting daily checks for damage and replacing parts as necessary; lowered repair costs by $500 over the course of 6 months.
- Assembled new drones according to company specifications; completed tasks 30% faster than the average assembly time.
- Reduced package delivery times by an average of 15 minutes per day by developing a more efficient flight route.
- Reorganized the drone storage area, increasing space utilization by 20%.
- Thoroughly pre-flighted drones and all related equipment prior to every flight, ensuring that all systems were functioning properly.
- Developed an in-depth understanding of how to operate various types of drones, as well as the software and applications associated with them.
- Assessed potential flight paths and hazards before each mission, making necessary adjustments to ensure a safe and successful flight.
- Expedited package delivery times by successfully navigating through tight spaces and difficult terrain, while avoiding obstacles along the way.
- Demonstrated exceptional flying skills by completing over 100 missions without incident or accident.
- Controlled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to capture images and footage for various projects, ensuring that the drones were operated within legal boundaries at all times.
- Set up and calibrated drone equipment before every flight, as well as performed routine maintenance checks to ensure optimal performance; troubleshot technical issues when they arose.
- Proficiently piloted drones in a variety of settings and weather conditions, while adhering to strict safety protocols; completed over 100 successful flights without incident.
- Formulated new flight paths and strategies as needed in order to achieve desired results for clients; increased efficiency by 15%.
- Structured workflows and established best practices for other team members to follow when operating drones; created an instructional manual that was used by new hires.
- Upgraded drone models twice a year, ensuring that the latest technology was always being used.
- Checked and maintained drones before and after every flight, logging all maintenance records.
- Piloted drones for up to 10 hours a day, completing over 100 flights per month on average.
- Confidently flew drones in a variety of weather conditions and terrain, including high winds and mountainous areas.
- Demonstrated excellent problem-solving skills when dealing with technical issues mid-flight; was able to safely land drone in difficult situations on multiple occasions.
- Advised clients on the best type of drone to purchase based on their budget and needs.
- Improved the accuracy of product deliveries by 10% using drones.
- Operated a drone for up to 8 hours per day, covering a total distance of 100 miles.
- Competently piloted a drone in various weather conditions, including strong winds and rainstorms.
- Introduced new safety protocols that reduced accidents involving drones by 25%.
3. Skills
The skills section of your resume for a drone pilot job should highlight both your technical skills (such as in aircraft systems and flight planning) as well as your non-technical skills (such as being able to stay calm under pressure).
You can discuss these further in other sections, such as the summary or experience section. For example, you might want to elaborate on how you successfully completed a commercial photography project despite high winds and difficult terrain.
Below is a list of common skills & terms:
- Aerial Photography
- Agricultural Mapping
- Aircraft Maintenance
- Airspace Management
- Cargo Transport
- Construction
- Drone Operation
- Emergency Response
- Environmental Monitoring
- Event Coverage
- FAA Regulations
- Film And Television Production
- First Person View
- Fixed Wing Drones
- Flight Planning
- GPS Navigation
- Infrastructure Inspection
- Insurance
- Law Enforcement
- Mapping
- Marketing And Advertising
- Multirotor Drones
- Package Delivery
- Radio Communication
- Real Estate
- Search And Rescue
- Survey
- Videography
- Visual Line Of Sight
- Weather Patterns
4. Education
Mentioning your education on your resume will depend on how far along you are in your career. If this is your first job, list your education below your resume objective. However, if you have significant work experience already, you may not want to include an education section at all.
If including an education section, only mention courses and subjects that are relevant to the drone pilot role you’re applying for. Examples might be “Courses included Intro to Flight Physics, Aviation Weather and Airspace Law”.
Drone Pilot Certificate
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
5. Certifications
Certifications are not always necessary, but they can be helpful in demonstrating your proficiency to potential employers. If you have any certifications specific to the job you are applying for or the industry you wish to enter, include them here.
Drone Pilot License
FAA
May 2017
6. Contact Info
Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.
You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.
Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Paxton Zboncak, this would be Paxton-Zboncak-resume.pdf or Paxton-Zboncak-resume.docx.
7. Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is an excellent way to expand on the information found in your resume and introduce yourself to a potential employer. They are typically made up of 2-4 paragraphs, and you can use them to explain why you would be the perfect candidate for the job.
It’s important to remember that not all jobs will require a cover letter, but in those cases where one is requested, it’s always best to submit one. This is because it gives you an opportunity to showcase your writing skills and highlight your suitability for the role.
Below is an example cover letter:
Dear Vicente,
I am writing to apply for the position of Drone Pilot at [company name]. As a certified drone pilot with experience flying drones for both commercial and recreational purposes, I am confident that I would be a valuable asset to your team.
In my current role as a freelance drone operator, I have worked with clients in a variety of industries, including real estate, construction, and event photography. My experience has taught me how to safely and effectively operate drones in various environments and under different conditions. In addition, I have developed strong problem-solving skills that have come in handy when troubleshooting issues mid-flight.
I am knowledgeable about all relevant FAA regulations and take pride in adhering to all safety standards. In addition, I am insured for up to $1 million in liability coverage. My commitment to safety combined with my technical expertise makes me an ideal candidate for this position.
I look forward to speaking with you soon about this opportunity. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your name]