View Full Version : UAV Pilots/Instructors?
charlietwo
04-21-2008, 20:29
Any UAV pilots/instructors here? I attended the 5-day Raven UAV pilot course down in Base Camp, NV back in Dec. 05 prior to deploying to the box. That little bird was invaluable for all sorts of missions.
Also, does anyone know of any job opportunities stateside for qualified, experienced UAV pilots? Any information would be extremely helpful, as I thoroughly enjoyed employing that tool, as well as training others in it's operation.
I don't believe UAVs have been approved by the FAA for CONUS....
Stay safe.
charlietwo
04-22-2008, 08:48
Guy, if you're right, which I don't doubt you are, that's a damn shame. Judging by the 40 people who have been shot this weekend in downtown Chicago alone, I would daresay it could do some good :)
Thanks for the comment, brother.
Team Sergeant
04-22-2008, 09:06
You gents need to read more.....;)
There have been UAV's flying in our airspace for years.
Currently only the military and "sport" UAV's are OK'ed. Soon I'm betting most LE agencies will be fighting for UAV airspace.
TS
FAA Clears Global Hawk For Routine Operation In US National Airspace
The Global Hawk UAV has now entered first phase commecial production and foreshadows a new future of unmanned machine combat that will profoundly change the battlefield and the nature of war in the decades ahead.
San Diego - Aug 18, 2003
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted a national Certificate of Authorization (COA) to the U.S. Air Force to routinely fly the Northrop Grumman-produced RQ-4 Global Hawk aerial reconnaissance system in national airspace. The certificate is the first national COA granted for an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system.
The high altitude, long endurance Global Hawk currently flies in restricted airspace during take-off and landing before quickly ascending to altitudes high above commercial air traffic. The COA paves the way for it to support homeland defense missions in national airspace.
The national COA grant is the latest addition to Global Hawk's long list of "firsts." The list includes world records for a jet-powered UAV for endurance, distance and altitude; the first UAV to fly a non-stop roundtrip across the Atlantic Ocean; the first UAV to fly from the U.S. to the equator and back; the first UAV to fly across the Pacific Ocean (from the U.S. to Australia); and the first fully autonomous UAV to be used in combat operations.
Prior to the national COA, the FAA had granted Global Hawk access to national airspace in several FAA regions to allow the UAV system to participate in various military exercises.
To date, the FAA has granted Global Hawk access to more national and international airspace than any other UAV. It has been authorized for non-wartime operations in all but two of the United States FAA regions, as well as in international airspace, including Australia, Portugal, Spain, Scotland, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Venezuela and Ecuador.
The system has flown more than 3,000 hours since its first flight in February 1998, more than fifty percent of which were logged during combat operations supporting Operations Enduring Freedom, Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom.
Global Hawk's fully redundant flight control avionics architecture allows it to fly a preprogrammed mission plan autonomously. This architecture, along with the use of systems such as a mode "S" transponder, precision altitude and navigation equipment, and UHF/VHF voice relay radios facilitate the UAV's integration and communication with air traffic control. Global Hawk also has the ability to file Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plans, a function not performed to date by any other UAV system.
Guy, if you're right, which I don't doubt you are, that's a damn shame. Judging by the 40 people who have been shot this weekend in downtown Chicago alone, I would daresay it could do some good :)
Thanks for the comment, brother.Cinco de Mayo is coming. I hope the SOBs don't go on the rampage again.
Oakland, CA PD need about 100 UAVs:D
Thanks TS!
Stay safe.
Team Sergeant
04-22-2008, 09:56
Judging by the 40 people who have been shot this weekend in downtown Chicago alone, I would daresay it could do some good :)
I can hardly believe 40 people were shot in "gun-free" chicago! Illinois has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, to what end? I'm betting all the violent gangs love the Illinois gun laws...:munchin
http://shootingmessengers.blogspot.com/2008/04/stop-presses-chicago-gun-control-doesnt.html
Ret10Echo
04-22-2008, 10:04
I can hardly believe 40 people were shot in "gun-free" chicago! Illinois has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, to what end? I'm betting all the violent gangs love the Illinois gun laws...:munchin
http://shootingmessengers.blogspot.com/2008/04/stop-presses-chicago-gun-control-doesnt.html
It's not the gang-members fault TS...those damn guns are crawling around and just "going off" with innocent bystanders in the area...
KENSINGTON, Md. (AP).......
Police say a handgun went off accidentally in a boy's bathroom where five students had gathered to examine guns they planned to sell. No one was injured, but the school was eventually locked down for several hours.
2018commo
04-22-2008, 11:08
Any UAV pilots/instructors here? I attended the 5-day Raven UAV pilot course down in Base Camp, NV back in Dec. 05 prior to deploying to the box. That little bird was invaluable for all sorts of missions.
Also, does anyone know of any job opportunities stateside for qualified, experienced UAV pilots? Any information would be extremely helpful, as I thoroughly enjoyed employing that tool, as well as training others in it's operation.
http://www.aaicorp.com/hr/emplopp.htm
See: Field Service Engineer, Good company decent part of Maryland, easy commute from Pennsylvania if you don't like MD taxes.
Also many of the 54 National Guards are getting UAV units, one is a PAX River, MD another at Indiantown Gap, PA. Lots of full time ops there too.
Good Luck
AO
http://www.aaicorp.com/hr/emplopp.htm
See: Field Service Engineer, Good company decent part of Maryland, easy commute from Pennsylvania if you don't like MD taxes.
Also many of the 54 National Guards are getting UAV units, one is a PAX River, MD another at Indiantown Gap, PA. Lots of full time ops there too.
Good Luck
AOThe MAV (http://www.aaicorp.com/New/UAS/assets/multimedia/MAV_med.mov) is interesting.
Stay safe.
Charlie Two,
I'm not a qualified UAV pilot but I did spend time in a UAS company while deployed.
There were a few civilian pilot, payload operators, and maintenance positions available while I was there. I think the best bet is to get qualified as a maintenance worker on the Army's Warrior A program. Its kinda like the predator. It will carry 4 hellfires once the next model comes out. Once you are maintenance qualified, they will probably teach you the piloting and payload operator portions. Almost every civilian there maintained, flew, and hunted.
The biggest pro is the pay. While deployed, the average starting salary was about 120G.
The only thing is that you will most likely have to deploy. Some of the civilians there opted to stay for over a year. Some over two. But that was their choice.
While stateside, you will probably have to travel a bit...training, etc.
The biggest companies with these positions is Lockhead Martin and Northrop Gruman.
-- As far as job satifaction, if you get the Warrior A program there isn't a better felling than whacking out some IED emplacers and see the level of IEDs go down in that area.... You'll definately have an impact on the battlefield and a physchological impact on the enemy. When they don't know what hit them, they get scared... Believe it or not, most of them don't want to die.
I hope this helps you..as a starting point.
Take care
Guns
C2;
http://www.nekasg.com/Apply.aspx?Job=43
Title: SUAV Operators
Post Date: 4/11/2008
Description:
NEK is seeking experienced SUAV operators to support an upcoming CONUS based award for a teaming partner. Qualified individuals will have experience with hand held UAVs and will be able to hold positions as a Mission Operator or Vehicle Operator. Additional training will be provided by the vendor prior to deployment and the individual must have a secret clearance. Accepted individuals will be provided with excellent daily rates and insurance as well as refresher training. Individuals interested in OCONUS work may indicate so on their resumes as the vendor may have some of that work coming up. Excellent daily rates, insurance and other benefits provided depending on the final outcome of the award.
Interested individuals can send their resumes to careers@nekasg.com or please visit our interactive resume database at www.nekasg.com. Please label your resumes SUAV Operator.
Stay safe.