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Drone Pilot / Geospatial Technician
Job Description: Drone Pilot / Geospatial Tech
Texas Drone Company is a leading drone service provider with a focus in the construction, mining and engineering/survey industries. This role will be primarily focused on utilizing drones to capture data at our customer's locations. You will utilize a variety of methods and gear to efficiently capture this data.
You MUST be highly skilled in the flight and operation of the necessary equipment to capture this data. Primarily, drones (fixed wing and multi-copter) will be used but other equipment such as survey and other laser scanners and cameras may be used as well.
You must have or be able to attain a Part 107 license from the FAA within 1 month of hiring.
Ideally, you will be familiar with or skilled in a variety of GIS applications. Applications include flight planning, point cloud, GIS and CAD applications as well as Microsoft Office and Adobe Lightroom.
You must be willing to work alone and travel within Texas & surrounding states to accomplish the work. You will drive a company vehicle for this work and must have a clean driving record and be insurable under company policy.
Duties and Responsibilities
Capture inspection and documentation of construction and industrial assets. You will be required to have a firm understanding of photography and camera settings.
Conduct pre-flight and post-flight operations:
Drone assembly, pre-flight planning, safety briefings, FAA airspace & airport tower coordination, checklists, and overall mission-readiness.
Post-flight drone tear-down, maintenance and storage.
Complete of all flight log and post mission documentation.
Be responsible for the operation and maintenance of supporting equipment including 4x4 truck with secure storage, ATV-style vehicles, trailers, on-board inverters and generators for battery charging stations, and computer workstations.
Perform topographic surveys using a combination of mobile LiDAR, stationary scanning, drone photogrammetry and total station equipment.
Process and deliver collected survey data to clients using multiple software packages; evaluate data accuracy and sufficiency, and ensure deliverables meet client expectations and professional standards.
Perform volumetric cut and fill calculations based on data from laser scanners, aerial LiDAR, photogrammetry, ground surveys and design documents.
Implement, monitor and track quality control checks and procedures for data gathered by field crews; emphasizing professionalism and attention to details.
Serve as a point of contact with clients regarding project scope, scheduling needs, deliverables and follow-up.
Ability to travel within Texas and perform some weekend work.
Qualifications and Skills (Experience and Education)
An applied knowledge of surveying references such as coordinates systems, projections, datums, geoids and state plane zones.
Topographic surveying experience in land development, mining, solid waste or similar industries.
Degree programs may include: surveying, GIS, geology, geomatics or related fields of study.
Very strong technical capacity; ability to learn and master multiple software packages, pieces of hardware and different workflows.
Experience in 3D CAD deliverables and 3D feature extraction from point clouds, surface models and digital terrain models.
Physical Demands
Must be able to wear and use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including hardhat, protective eyewear, boots, safety vests or harness, 2-way radios, and other PPE as required by mission;
Perform physically demanding work involving frequent standing, sitting, kneeling, bending, stooping, climbing up ladders around large objects, and walking on gravel and other uneven surfaces.
Working extended hours, including weekdays and weekends
Exposure to extreme heat and cold; Must work outside in all types of weather conditions (rain, sleet, snow, wind, dust, extreme heat/cold)
Working in and around industrial hazards
Job Type: Full-time and Part-time opportunities
Experience:
LIDAR scanning: 1 year (Preferred)
UAV / drone flying: 1 year (Preferred)
U.S. military: 1 year (Preferred)
License/Certification:
FAA Part 107 (Preferred)
Education:
High School