okay so this is kind of a weird situation. i applied to this job posting like two months ago and honestly forgot about it, it was for a staff UAV pilot position at a mid sized civil engineering firm. they called me last week and ive done two interviews and they want to offer me something.

the role would basically be doing site surveys, progress documentation on construction projects, some mapping work feeding into their GIS team. salary range they mentioned was actually not bad, like solidly middle class, plus benefits which is something freelancing obviously doesnt give you.

thing is ive never heard of many companies actually hiring pilots as full time staff rather than just contracting out. is this becoming more common? part of me wonders if they'll just use me for 6 months and then realize they can get it cheaper from a drone service company. the engineering firm angle does make me think they need it consistently enough to justify it tho. anyone been in a similar position or know people working staff pilot roles?

staff positions at engineering and surveying firms have been growing for a few years now, its not that unusual anymore especially for companies doing a lot of infrastructure or land development work. the economics make sense for them when they're flying every week — cheaper than contracting out constantly plus they own the data pipeline internally. id actually say thats a pretty good sign they're serious about it, a civil engineering firm isnt going to create a whole position unless they've run the numbers.

the thing i would ask in negotiation is whether they're planning to invest in proper mapping hardware down the line or if they expect you to just work with whatever you bring. also clarify who owns the equipment, whether you'd be getting a vehicle allowance for site travel, stuff like that. these firms sometimes dont think through all the operational details because this type of role is new to them too.

overall sounds like a solid oppertunity tbh, the benefits thing alone is huge if youve been freelancing

take it. seriously the benefits + stable income is not something to take for granted if you've been grinding freelance. you can always build skills and connections on the inside and figure out your next move later. a lot of the best freelancers i know spent time doing exactly this kind of staff role first before going out on their own with actual industry contacts and experience on real projects