WoDE
- Aug 4, 2019
- 2 min read

6 Unexpected Careers in Drones

Author: Sally French - Founder of The Drone Girl

Instagram @thedronegirl | Twitter: @thedronegirl |

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedronegirl

When most people think of getting a job in the drone industry, they typically either think of drone pilot or engineer. But there’s a ton more that goes into drones than flying and building them. Whether you’re passionate about animals, art, food, or pretty much any other subject area you can think of, there’s a career path for you that can incorporate a drone. Here are 6 of our favourite, unexpected careers that involve drones.

1. Theatre choreographer:

Did you know Cirque du Soleil has an act in one of their shows that involves drones? The Broadway incarnation of Cirque du Soleil called “Paramour” featured 8 drones (disguised as lampshades!) flying in sync with each other in a routine every night on stage.

2. Costume designer:

On that note, someone creative needs to design those lamp shades, or whatever the “drone costume” is for that next show. Léa Pereyre actually holds this job title, and she’s designed “costumes” for drones that make them look like birds, fish and more.

3. Beekeeper:

Bee populations are dying, and honey production is dwindling. But now, melittologists (that’s a fancy word for bee scientists) are using a drone called the “BeeDar” to track honeybees in real time for precision pollination. Their data is able to reduce disease among bees and increase pollination.

4. Beer factory manager:

Don’t drink and drone, but you can use a drone to improve your beer. Czechoslovakian beer giant Pilsner Urquell is now using the collision-tolerant Elios drone to run inspections of its bottling factory in the Czech Republic. Using the drone to inspect the 7-and-a-half-acre Pilsner Urquell bottling plant saves both time, money and potentially dangerous situations.

5. Whale researcher:

It may seem challenging to gather whale DNA, but it’s easy with drones. Researchers mount DNA collection devices on drones and fly them over whales as they blow fluid in the air, allowing scientists to collect better samples at less risk and lower cost -- without the whale even noticing.

6. Historical preservation architect:

Love history, and passionate about keeping it alive and in good shape for future generations? Historical preservation architects are using drones to do that. The Great Wall of China is currently undergoing a big restoration project, an drones are working to capture more than 10,000 hi-res aerial images that will be stitched together to create a 3D model of the Great Wall. Not only can the images create a digital replica, but the drones enable conservation teams to produce a more effective repair schedule in a matter of days vs. the manual process, which requires a tape measure and visual inspection by people over a monthlong period.classroom teachers always need to know.