Land surveying drone operators in big demand
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Drones are becoming a familiar sight in our skies. It's an industry that has the potential to make a career take off for a young professional.
Pat VanHaverbeke with Colliers Engineering and Design said, "Now, we can send out a crew armed with one of these, and we can fly hundreds of acres in a day."
Turning to technology has helped land surveyors with Colliers Engineering and Design in Albany speed up the process of getting precise measurements, determine boundary lines, and get a lay of the land for various projects throughout the country.
Though VanHaverbeke says the industry is facing a shortage of operators with many older employees on their way to retirement, "We are trying to find out how to do the same amount of work or more because there is always stuff going on."
He anticipates thousands of jobs will need to be filled over the next decade with skilled land surveying drone operators. "You still need to take a test and get a license. It's not like anybody can buy a drone and start flying commercially," he said.
According to VanHaverbeke, the starting salary for a land surveying drone operator is around $60,000, and only goes up from there. "This industry has exploded. There is no sign of slowing down. The technology is getting better, there is new aircraft, new sensors coming out almost on a daily basis," he explained.
It may be another reason why more drones have been spotted on the East Coast, and VanHaverbeke doesn't expect the numbers of sightings to go down.
"The amount of drones folks see is only going to increase over the next few years as they are used not only in surveying, but mapping, delivery, inspection work. All kinds of folks that are starting to use this," he added.