UAS Associate Pilot

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Small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) Pilots are responsible for piloting high end drone systems used for aerial inspections of transmission line structures, among other applications. As the Pilot in Command, the sUAS Pilot has ultimate say in ensuring safe flight operations in the field. The pilot also will document environmental conditions and known hazards, and coordinate with the project manager or other Valmont personnel to confirm aircraft deconfliction notice filings with customers and the FAA.

Often, UAS Pilots work in conjunction with a camera operator and a visual observer (VO), and must demonstrate strong teamwork, communication skills and crew resource management.

UAS Pilots must be able to safely operate drones in close quarters and be able to execute emergency landing procedures in the event of signal loss or other danger (e.g., sudden high winds). They will be required to learn and adhere to specific flight SOPs for aerial inspections and for operating within specified weather conditions to ensure safety.

• This position reports to the Principal Pilot and has no direct or indirect reports
• This role requires heavy travel (60-95%), including overnight stays, to the location of specified UAS projects
• Communicate clearly and directly with the camera operator (and VO) throughout the duration of each flight
• Respond immediately to any issues with the drone, whether experienced personally or identified by the camera operator or VO
• Maintain awareness of surroundings and known hazards at all times during flight operations
• Examine all gear (drone, props, controllers, monitors, batteries) prior to each flight and pause operations if anomalies are found
• Clean all gear upon return to main office at the end of each day and return items to correct locations for safe storage
• Maintain daily crew flight and inspection activity logs

The sUAS Pilot must have a fundamental understanding of drone functionality and be able to perform routine maintenance checks to identify equipment in need of repair or replacement. Since an sUAS Pilot may have to monitor the drone’s equipment while also communicating with the camera operator and VO, they should be capable of multitasking effectively. sUAS Pilots also will be responsible for executing safety protocols at the work site including completing written Task Hazard Analysis forms, implement Emergency Action Plans and securing the area for drone flights.

Preferred Bachelors or Associates Degree and/or 20 logged and verifiable sUAS flight hours sUAS Pilots must have FAA Part 107 Certification Pass a drug screening test Ability to travel up to 95% and have valid driver’s license Must be familiar with flying drone platforms of various sizes and be able to learn the platform(s) used for Valmont drone operations sUAS Pilots must hold or be able to obtain an OSHA-30 Certification, First Aid/CPR certification, and valid driver’s license, and must be comfortable working outdoors in remote environments in both hot and cold weather Basic computer skills, including file transfer and organization, and familiarity with the Windows platform are required The sUAS Pilot is…