Drone Operations Coordinator

ZenaTech Inc.; Cork; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Nasdaq-listed parent company

Exposure to cutting-edge drone tech (U

Growth opportunities in operations/com

Job summary

ZenaDrone Ireland, the DaaS division of ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA), plans and coordinates EU drone operations across multiple EU client sites, ensuring missions meet EASA rules and SORA framework.

Role serves as the operational link between sales, pilots, and authorities, keeping flights compliant and on schedule across member states.

Qualifications

• 2+ years' experience coordinating or managing commercial drone/UAS operations, ideally within an EASA member state.
• Strong scheduling and logistics skills, coordinating pilots, equipment, and clients across multiple countries/time zones.
• Proficiency with EASA Open/Specific/Certified category framework and the SORA methodology.
• Experience liaising with national authorities for authorisations and registrations.

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate day‑to‑day drone operations across EU client sites, aligning pilot availability, equipment, and airspace access with project timelines.
• Prepare and maintain operational authorisations, SORA risk assessments, and flight authorisation requests for Specific category operations, liaising with national authorities.
• Maintain compliance with EASA regulations, operator registration, and U‑space/UTM concepts where applicable.
• Coordinate airspace access, NOTAM filings, and relationships with ANSPs and airport authorities across operating countries.
• Schedule and dispatch remote pilots and equipment, ensuring fleet serviceability and up-to-date operator documentation.
• Own pre‑flight and post‑flight documentation: risk assessments, site surveys, flight logs, incident reports, and client sign‑offs.
• Support new pilot onboarding and induction for EU operations, including SOP briefings and site‑specific risk assessments.
• Act as first point of escalation for in‑field issues, coordinating contingency plans with pilots and clients.
• Work with Business Development to scope operational feasibility for new EU services.
• Maintain the EU operations compliance calendar: authorisations, insurance renewals, licences, and audit readiness.
• Contribute to SOPs and operations manuals as EASA rules evolve.

Skills

Drone operations coordination

Scheduling & logistics

EASA frameworks knowledge

Flight planning software

English proficiency

Additional EU language

Tools

DJI FlightHub

AirMap/AirHub

Job description

ZenaDrone Ireland is the Drone as a Service (DaaS) division of ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA), delivering survey, inspection, and precision-agriculture drone services across multiple jurisdictions, including the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, and India. The team operates under EASA and IAA regulatory frameworks and works with a fleet of enterprise-grade platforms.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Drone Operations Coordinator – EU

will plan, schedule, and oversee drone operations across ZenaDrone's EU client base, ensuring every mission is flown in compliance with EASA's Open, Specific, and Certified category rules and the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) framework. This role is the operational link between commercial sales, remote pilots, and national Competent Authorities, keeping missions compliant, on schedule, and safely executed across multiple EU member states.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plan and coordinate day-to-day drone operations across EU client sites, aligning pilot availability, equipment, and airspace access with project timelines.
• Prepare and maintain operational authorisations, SORA risk assessments, and flight authorisation requests for Specific category operations, liaising with national Competent Authorities as required in each member state.
• Maintain and monitor compliance with EASA Implementing Regulations (EU) 2019/947 and 2019/945, including UAS operator registration, remote pilot competency records, and U-space/UTM requirements where applicable.
• Coordinate airspace access and NOTAM filings, and manage relationships with Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and local aerodrome/airport authorities across operating countries.
• Schedule and dispatch remote pilots and equipment, ensuring fleet serviceability, insurance validity, and operator documentation are current before each mission.
• Own pre-flight and post-flight documentation: risk assessments, site surveys, flight logs, incident/occurrence reports, and client sign-off records.
• Support new pilot onboarding and induction for EU operations, including SOP briefings and site-specific risk assessments.
• Act as the first point of escalation for in-field operational issues (weather holds, airspace conflicts, equipment faults), coordinating contingency plans with pilots and clients.
• Work with Business Development to scope operational feasibility (airspace, permissions, site access) for new EU survey, inspection, and agricultural service opportunities.
• Maintain the EU operations compliance calendar: authorisation renewals, insurance renewals, pilot licence/competency expiries, and audit readiness.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of SOPs and operations manuals as EASA U-space and Specific category rules evolve.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• 2+ years' experience coordinating or managing commercial drone/UAS operations, ideally within an EASA member state.
• Working knowledge of EASA's Open/Specific/Certified category framework and the SORA methodology.
• Experience preparing operational authorisation applications and liaising with national Competent Authorities (e.g. IAA, DGAC, LBA, ENAC, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with UAS operator registration, remote pilot competency requirements, and U-space/UTM concepts.
• Strong scheduling and logistics skills, comfortable coordinating pilots, equipment, and clients across multiple countries and time zones.
• Confident written and verbal communication in English; an additional EU language (French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Dutch) is an advantage.
• Proficiency with standard office and scheduling tools; experience with flight-planning or UTM software (e.g. DJI FlightHub, Airmap/AirHub, or similar) is a plus.
• Eligibility to work and travel across the EU without sponsorship restrictions.

DESIRABLE

• Remote pilot licence/competency certificate (national equivalent) or willingness to obtain one.
• Background in survey, construction, agriculture, or infrastructure inspection sectors.
• Experience supporting ISO 9001 or similar quality/safety management systems.

WHAT ZENADRONE OFFERS

• The opportunity to help build out a fast-growing, multi-jurisdiction DaaS operation as part of a Nasdaq-listed technology group.
• Exposure to cutting-edge survey, LiDAR, and precision-agriculture drone technology.
• A collaborative, safety-first operating culture with clear growth paths into senior operations or compliance roles.