Remote Sensing Technicians
Apply remote sensing technologies to assist scientists in areas such as natural resources, urban planning, or homeland security. May prepare flight plans or sensor configurations for flight trips.
Also known as: Commercial Drone Operator, Commercial Drone Pilot, Commercial Drone Technician, Digital Cartographic Technician, Document Image Technician, Drone Operator, Drone Pilot, Drone Technician, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (About average)
What You'd Do
- Participate in the planning or development of mapping projects.
- Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.
- Prepare documentation or presentations, including charts, photos, or graphs.
- Merge scanned images or build photo mosaics of large areas, using image processing software.
- Integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data.
- Consult with remote sensing scientists, surveyors, cartographers, or engineers to determine project needs.
- Adjust remotely sensed images for optimum presentation by using software to select image displays, define image set categories, or choose processing routines.
- Manipulate raw data to enhance interpretation, either on the ground or during remote sensing flights.
- Collect geospatial data, using technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites, or thermal energy systems.
- Collaborate with agricultural workers to apply remote sensing information to efforts to reduce negative environmental impacts of farming practices.
- Collect remote sensing data for forest or carbon tracking activities involved in assessing the impact of environmental change.
- Provide remote sensing data for use in addressing environmental issues, such as surface water modeling or dust cloud detection.
- Maintain records of survey data.
- Document methods used and write technical reports containing information collected.
- Develop specialized computer software routines to customize and integrate image analysis.
- Collect verification data on the ground, using equipment such as global positioning receivers, digital cameras, or notebook computers.
- Monitor raw data quality during collection, and make equipment corrections as necessary.
- Evaluate remote sensing project requirements to determine the types of equipment or computer software necessary to meet project requirements, such as specific image types or output resolutions.
- Develop or maintain geospatial information databases.
- Correct raw data for errors due to factors such as skew or atmospheric variation.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.