UAS Pilot

SYOS Aerospace; Fareham; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

SYOS Aerospace in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced UAS Pilot to support the development, testing and operation of autonomous aircraft. You will fly fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms, perform flight-test activities and help prepare regulatory submissions.

As RPIC you’ll oversee flight planning, safety management and post-flight analysis, collaborating with engineers to turn aircraft concepts into real-world flight operations. The role involves travel.

Qualifications

• 100 hours RPIC flight experience
• Formal UAS Pilot qualification (Part 102 or international equivalent)
• Experience in a Part 102 certified organisation
• Experience in test, operational or development environments
• Strong understanding of UAS regulatory frameworks

Responsibilities

• Operate as Remote Pilot in Command across fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAS platforms.
• Support flight-test plans and post-flight analysis.
• Coordinate flight planning, aircraft preparation and pre-flight activities.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and safety management.
• Prepare flight objectives and support cross-functional engineering activities.
• Maintain pilot qualifications and document risk assessments.

Skills

RPIC

Part 102 qualification

BVLOS knowledge

VLOS procedures

Flight operations

Regulatory compliance

Job description

At SYOS, we’re building the next generation of autonomous vehicles across air, land and sea.

We combine advanced engineering, intelligent autonomy and innovative design to develop uncrewed systems that operate in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Our mission is to extend human capability, protect people and deliver real operational advantage through accessible, scalable and intelligent autonomous technology.

We’re growing our UK flight operations team and are looking for an experienced UAS Pilot to support the development, testing and operation of our next generation of autonomous aircraft. This is a hands‑on role where you’ll fly a range of UAS platforms, support flight-test programmes, contribute to regulatory approvals and work closely with engineers to turn aircraft development into real‑world flight operations. Note this role will require significant travel.

About The Role

As a UAS Pilot, you’ll play a key role in enabling SYOS flight-test and aircraft development programmes. Working as part of the Flight Operations team, you’ll operate as Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) across a variety of fixed‑wing and rotary‑wing UAS platforms. You’ll support flight planning, aircraft preparation, regulatory compliance, safety management and post‑flight analysis.

You’ll work closely with engineering and test teams to execute flight objectives, identify issues and provide the operational insight needed to improve our aircraft and systems. This is a technically demanding, hands‑on position where your work will directly contribute to the development and deployment of advanced autonomous aircraft.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate as Remote Pilot in Command across a range of fixed‑wing and rotary‑wing UAS platforms.
• Conduct flight operations supporting aircraft development, testing and cross‑functional engineering activities.
• Execute flight‑test plans safely and effectively, ensuring flight objectives are achieved.
• Support flight planning, mission preparation and pre‑flight activities.
• Configure UAS hardware, software and mission‑specific payloads for individual trials.
• Conduct pre‑flight, in‑flight and post‑flight activities in accordance with approved procedures.
• Support the Flight Operations team with flight scheduling and operational planning.
• Ensure all flight activities comply with applicable UAS regulations and SYOS operational procedures.
• Maintain required pilot qualifications, certifications and operational currency.
• Conduct operational risk assessments and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Follow Safety Management System (SMS) procedures and contribute to hazard identification.
• Maintain overall responsibility for aircraft safety and legal compliance when acting as RPIC.
• Support the development of regulatory documentation, including Specific Operations Risk Assessments (SORA).
• Collect, process and analyse post‑flight data to assess performance against test objectives.
• Interpret telemetry, flight data and flight logs to identify trends, anomalies and discrepancies.
• Document performance shortfalls and recommend corrective actions.
• Contribute to formal flight‑test reports and technical documentation.
• Prepare charts, summary findings and evidence packages for internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate logistics for airspace permissions, range bookings and other flight requirements.
• Liaise with regulatory authorities, Air Traffic Control, range safety officers and other stakeholders to secure flight authorisations.
• Work collaboratively with engineering, test, certification and operations teams.
• Support the continuous improvement of SYOS flight operations, procedures and processes.

What We're Looking For

• Minimum 100 hours of UAS flight experience as RPIC.
• Formal UAS Pilot qualification, such as Part 102 or an international equivalent.
• Experience operating as part of a Part 102 certified organisation or international equivalent.
• Proven experience operating UAS safely and professionally in a test, operational or development environment.
• Strong understanding of UAS regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to act as RPIC with responsibility for aircraft safety and legal compliance.
• Strong understanding of VLOS and BVLOS operating procedures.
• Experience operating fixed‑wing and/or rotary‑wing UAS.
• Ability to develop and manage operational documentation, including flight plans, test plans, risk assessments, checklists, hazard logs and crew briefings.
• Strong communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑moving engineering and development environment.

Nice To Have

• 50+ hours of BVLOS UAS flight experience.
• Experience operating Class 2–3 UAS.
• UAS Flight Radio Telephony Operator Certificate (UAS FRTOC), or equivalent.
• Aviation Language Proficiency certification.
• Current First Aid certification.
• Full driving license.

Why SYOS?

At SYOS, you won’t just be flying drones.

You’ll be flying and testing advanced autonomous aircraft, working directly with engineers and technology specialists to solve real‑world challenges and help turn new aircraft concepts into operational systems. You’ll have the opportunity to work across multiple UAS platforms, contribute to flight‑test programmes and play a direct role in shaping how autonomous aircraft are developed, tested and deployed.

Build it. Test it. Deploy it.

Join SYOS and help shape the future of autonomous flight.

Security Requirement

To be eligible for this role, you must be able to meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). This includes confirming your identity, legal right to work in the UK, recent employment history, and criminal record (unspent convictions only).