Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Pilots are responsible for piloting high end drone systems used for aerial inspections of transmission line structures, among other applications. As the pilot in command, the UAS Pilot has ultimate say in ensuring safe flight operations in the field. The pilot also will document environmental conditions and known hazards, and coordinate with the project manager or other Valmont personnel to confirm aircraft deconfliction notice filings with customers and the FAA. Often, UAS Pilots work in conjunction with a camera operator and a visual observer (VO), and must demonstrate strong teamwork, communication skills and crew resource management.
UAS Pilots must be able to safely operate drones in close quarters, and be able to execute emergency landing procedures in the event of signal loss or other danger (e.g., sudden high winds). They will be required to learn and adhere to specific flight SOPs for aerial inspections and for operating within specified weather conditions to ensure safety. In addition, the position of UAS Pilots entails the following responsibilities:
- Communicate clearly and directly with the camera operator (and VO) throughout the duration of each flight
- Respond immediately to any issues with the drone, whether experienced personally or identified by the camera operator or VO
- Maintain awareness of surroundings and known hazards at all time during flight operations
- Examine all gear (drone, props, controllers, monitors, batteries) prior to each flight and pause operations if anomalies are found
- Clean all gear upon return to main office at the end of each day and return items to correct locations for safe storage
- Maintain daily crew flight and inspection activity logs
- This position has a dotted-line reporting to the Project Manager and has no direct or indirect reports
- This role requires heavy travel (60-95%), including overnight stays, to the location of specified UAS projects
