Remote Drone Pilot — A1/A3 and A2

Maple Aviation; Deutschland; Remote; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Opportunity to work on autonomous drone technology

Job summary

Maple Aviation is an innovative aerospace startup based in Ohio and specializes in developing tail-sitter drones. We are seeking a Remote Drone Pilot to support the testing and operations of our unique aircraft. In this role, you will be responsible for preparing, conducting, and documenting drone flights for various modes including development and delivery operations.

The ideal candidate will have valid EU drone certificates, practical drone flying experience, and a strong understanding of UAS operations. We offer flexible working hours and the chance to work on cutting-edge drone technology.

Qualifications

• Valid EU drone competency certificates A1/A3 and A2.
• Practical flying experience with various types of aircraft.
• Strong understanding of safe UAS operations and risk management.
• Ability to adhere to procedures and remain calm under pressure.
• Technical knowledge of drones and telemetry systems.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and execute remote drone flights for testing and demonstration.
• Conduct pre-flight checks, airspace checks, and risk assessments.
• Document flight logs and operational lessons learned.
• Support the development of operating procedures and training materials.
• Maintain a high safety culture and operational discipline.

Skills

Valid EU drone competency certificates A1/A3 and A2

Practical flying experience with drones

Strong understanding of safe UAS operations

Technical understanding of drones and related systems

Experience with PX4 or similar tools

Job description

We are an innovative aerospace startup seeking a Remote Drone Pilot to support the testing and operation of our unique Tail‑Sitter Drone. At Maple Aviation we develop an aircraft that flies with one propeller only and is controlled in position via a flap‑thrust‑vectoring system. In this role, you will prepare, conduct, and document drone flights for development, testing, demonstration, and the upcoming delivery operations. You will work closely with engineering, flight control, maintenance, and operations to ensure that each flight is safe, well prepared and documented. As our aircraft becomes increasingly autonomous, your role will combine practical drone flying, mission supervision, safety management, data collection, and operational discipline.

What you’ll do

• Preparation and execution of remote drone flights and test & demonstration flights
• Acting as remote pilot, observer, mission operator, or ground crew depending on the mission setup
• Conducting pre‑flight checks, airspace checks, weather checks, risk assessments, and post‑flight inspections
• Supporting flight tests for flight control, delivery mechanisms, endurance, reliability, and operational procedures
• Monitoring aircraft telemetry, flight behavior, battery status, system health, and safety boundaries
• Documenting flight logs, incidents, anomalies, test results, and operational lessons learned
• Supporting the creation and improvement of checklists, standard operating procedures, emergency procedures, and training material
• Coordinating with engineers to reproduce issues, validate improvements, and collect high‑quality test data
• Supporting permit applications, SORA‑related documentation, and BVLOS preparation where applicable
• Maintaining pilot readiness, operational discipline, and a strong safety culture

What you bring

• Valid EU drone competency certificates A1/A3 and A2
• Practical flying experience with drones, RC aircraft, model aircraft, fixed‑wing UAVs, multicopters, or VTOL systems
• Strong understanding of safe UAS operations, airspace awareness, weather limitations, and operational risk management
• Ability to follow procedures precisely while remaining calm during unexpected situations
• Technical understanding of drones, batteries, telemetry, flight controllers, sensors, and ground control stations
• Experience with PX4, QGroundControl, Mission Planner, ArduPilot, or similar tools is desirable
• Experience in test flying, BVLOS operations, aviation, emergency services, surveying, inspection, logistics, or model aircraft clubs is a plus
• Willingness to work outdoors, travel occasionally for flight tests, and support flexible test schedules
• Excellent documentation discipline and clear communication with engineering teams
• We are an international team communicating in English; German language skills are an advantage

What we offer

We offer flexible working hours and the opportunity to help build the next generation of autonomous drone delivery technology from the ground up. If you are passionate about aviation, drone operations, and safe flight testing, we would love to hear from you.