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An underwater remotely operated vehicle.

ROV and Drone Pilot Technician

ROV and Drone Pilot Technicians operate and maintain robotic vehicles, either underwater or in the air, to inspect places and support important missions

How an ROV and Drone Pilot Technician makes a difference

ROV and Drone Pilot Technicians help people see places that are hard or dangerous to reach.

An ROV is a remotely operated vehicle. They are submersible robots that go underwater. They go places that are too deep or too dangerous for human divers, to inspect places or carry out tasks.

A drone is a flying machine that is operated by remote. They are used to take pictures or video to investigate things, like the exterior of tall buildings, or to map areas.

ROV and Drone technicians specialise in one of these technologies. You could be the technician who pilots an ROV or a drone with precision, helping projects by gathering data that would otherwise be more difficult or dangerous to get.

The tasks that ROVs are used for vary. They can be used in subsea oil and gas development projects, for inspection, repair and maintenance, to lay cable and pipe, for surveys and in construction, or to examine salvage, for example a shipwrecked boat. They are also used for scientific research.

Drones can be used to check whether structures are safe, like the roofs of buildings, bridges, or wind turbines. They can also be used to survey wide areas, like monitoring wildlife, or creating a 3D digital contour map of a landscape. They are also used in the film and TV industry to get certain shots, and in emergency situations, they can help with search and rescue.

The type of work an ROV and Drone Pilot Technician will do

  • Plan flights or dives, making sure weather or water conditions are safe
  • Set up, test and maintain drone or ROV equipment
  • Pilot vehicles using remote controls and screens
  • Capture photos, video and sensor data
  • Inspect structures like buildings, pipelines or turbines
  • Follow safety rules, including airspace or marine regulations
  • Log missions and write simple reports
  • Troubleshoot faults and carry out basic repairs
  • Work with teams such as engineers, scientists or emergency services
Useful skills
Technologically minded
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Logical thinking
Skills & attributes

What you can bring to the ROV and Drone Pilot Technician role

You enjoy using technology and learning how things work.

You stay calm and focused, even when things get tricky.

You pay attention to detail and follow instructions carefully.

You like solving problems and fixing issues.

What you can bring to the ROV and Drone Pilot Technician role

You communicate clearly with teammates.

You are responsible and take safety seriously.

You are patient and can concentrate for long periods.

You are happy working indoors and outdoors.

What you can bring to the ROV and Drone Pilot Technician role

This role could also be right for you if you have any of the following interests:

- the outdoors and being adventurous
- gaming or using remote-controlled vehicles
- vehicles, such as cars, trains, boats or planes
- exploring problems and finding answers
- electronics

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Average salary per year *
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Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities for an ROV and Drone Pilot Technician

With experience, you could specialise in areas like surveying, inspection or film production. You might move into senior pilot roles, operations management or training others.

Some people progress into engineering, data analysis or project management. There are also opportunities to work offshore, in renewable energy or with emergency services.

How to become an ROV and Drone Pilot Technician

There’s no perfect career path or ideal way into your dream job.

But if you’re interested in education and training options that could be relevant to this role, you might want to consider:

Options available after GCSEs:

More options available after that:

  • An apprenticeship as an Uncrewed Marine Vehicle Specialist.

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

Every day can be different, as you will be exploring different places and structures. You get to use cutting-edge technology like high-resolution cameras and sensors. The role can take you to unique locations and let you work on real-world challenges, from protecting wildlife to helping build new infrastructure. It mixes hands-on skills with problem solving and teamwork. As drones and ROVs become more important, there are growing opportunities across many industries.

Other job titles...

UAV pilot (unmanned aerial vehicle)
Drone operator
ROV pilot technician
Remote pilot
Aerial survey pilot
Inspection drone pilot
Marine ROV operator
Unmanned systems operator

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