Drone Pilot – Utility-Scale Solar

SunEnergy1; Jackson (OH); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

SunEnergy1 is seeking an experienced Drone Pilot to support utility-scale solar, BESS, and electrical infrastructure projects. You will safely operate drones to capture imagery, mapping data, and project progress documentation across construction lifecycles.

The ideal candidate has 2+ years in drone/UAS operations in construction or renewable energy settings, with strong FAA Part 107 knowledge and the ability to translate aerial data into actionable insights for project teams.

Qualifications

• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate required.
• 2+ years of professional drone/UAS operating experience.
• Experience supporting construction, solar, BESS, or similar industrial projects preferred.
• Ability to safely operate drones in active construction environments.
• Strong understanding of FAA airspace regulations and Part 107 requirements.
• Aerial photography and videography experience.
• Ability to work independently in remote construction environments.
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel to sites.

Responsibilities

• Conduct scheduled and on-demand drone flights at utility-scale sites.
• Capture high-resolution aerial imagery and site documentation.
• Perform regular progress flights and maintain consistent flight paths.
• Document site conditions, progress, and milestones.
• Support project teams with aerial information and reports.
• Produce organized aerial reports, photos, and videos.
• Assist with data collection for construction quantities.
• Support surveying and engineering teams with drone data.
• Identify potential safety, environmental, or quality issues.
• Maintain flight logs, equipment records, and maintenance schedules.
• Coordinate flights with project teams and property owners.
• Ensure compliance with FAA regulations and company safety policies.
• Stay updated on FAA requirements and airspace restrictions.
• Travel to active construction sites across the portfolio.

Skills

Part 107

Aerial photography

Independent work

Travel readiness

FAA regulations

Team communication

Documentation

Tools

DJI platforms

DroneDeploy

Pix4D

Propeller

Site Scan

Bluebeam

AutoCAD

ArcGIS

Civil 3D

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Drone Pilot to support utility-scale solar, battery energy storage (BESS), and electrical infrastructure projects. This position will be responsible for safely operating drones to capture aerial imagery, video, mapping data, and project progress documentation throughout the construction lifecycle.

The ideal candidate has experience flying drones in construction, renewable energy, surveying, or industrial environments and understands how to turn aerial data into useful information for project management, engineering, construction, and executive teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct scheduled and on-demand drone flights at utility-scale solar, BESS, substation, and construction sites.
• Capture high-resolution aerial photography, video, orthomosaic imagery, and site documentation.
• Perform regular construction progress flights and maintain consistent flight paths for month-over-month comparisons.
• Document site conditions, construction progress, material staging, equipment, access roads, laydown areas, and project milestones.
• Support project managers, construction managers, engineering, safety, and executive leadership with aerial information.
• Produce and organize aerial reports, photo libraries, videos, and other project documentation.
• Assist with volumetric measurements, stockpile measurements, site mapping, and other construction-related data collection.
• Support surveying and engineering teams with drone-generated data and imagery.
• Identify and document potential construction, safety, environmental, or quality issues from aerial observations.
• Maintain accurate flight logs, equipment records, batteries, and maintenance schedules.
• Coordinate flight activities with project teams, site management, and applicable property owners.
• Ensure all drone operations comply with FAA regulations, company policies, and site-specific safety requirements.
• Maintain awareness of changing FAA requirements, airspace restrictions, and project-specific flight limitations.
• Travel to active construction sites throughout the company's project portfolio.

Required Qualifications

• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate required.
• 2+ years of professional drone/UAS operating experience preferred.
• Experience supporting construction, solar, BESS, electrical infrastructure, surveying, engineering, or similar industrial projects preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to safely operate drones in active construction environments.
• Strong understanding of FAA airspace regulations and Part 107 requirements.
• Experience with aerial photography and videography.
• Ability to work independently in remote and active construction environments.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel extensively to project sites.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with utility-scale solar or BESS construction.
• Experience with DJI or similar commercial UAS platforms.
• Experience with drone mapping and photogrammetry.
• Experience with platforms such as DroneDeploy, Pix4D, Propeller, Site Scan, or similar.
• Experience producing orthomosaics, point clouds, 3D models, or elevation maps.
• Experience with construction progress tracking and site documentation.
• Familiarity with Bluebeam, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, ArcGIS, or similar software.
• Commercial drone photography/video experience.
• Experience collecting data for construction quantity verification or surveying support.

Safety & Compliance

Safety is a core responsibility of this position. The Drone Pilot must:

• Follow all FAA Part 107 requirements.
• Complete required site safety orientations and training.
• Conduct pre-flight risk assessments and equipment inspections.
• Maintain appropriate separation from personnel, equipment, structures, and aircraft.
• Follow all project-specific flight plans and safety procedures.
• Immediately report incidents, near misses, equipment issues, or unsafe conditions.