After the Travel Crisis, Pilots Switch to Piloting Drones

After the travel crisis, pilots switch to piloting drones   "I try to fly as often as I can, while I can, because I like it," says Bishop, who has worked as a pilot for an airline for more than 20 years. Bishop, who has recently been spending many hours browsing LinkedIn lists, and other work sites searching of a job that does not force her to spend the whole day in an office, until she found an opportunity that aroused her attention: piloting drones. Aquiline Drones, a Connecticut startup, has ambitions to provide independent drone controller jobs. It has pledged to launch a simple smartphone app about two months from now that allows anyone with a license to take on short-term jobs from capturing a wedding aerial footage to take photos of bridges and roads for the Public Works Department. The numbers of certified drone operators in the United States are still few, fewer than 200,000. The Federal Aviation Administration has previously required drone operators to obtain certification. Aquilaine aims to help license thousands of drone operators, most of whom, will be former airline pilots, according to Alexander, the company's founder. The company's licensing program, "Flying into the Future," is set to begin virtual lessons on September. Anyone can participate in the 6 to 8-week training program for $ 1,000. Aquiline has developed a separate $ 800 course for pilots who already understand the ins and outs of aviation terminology, regulations and weather monitoring. Alexander says more than 1,500 members of the general public have registered for the program so far, including 2,000 pilots.   You might also be interested in:

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