Lead UAS Flight Operations & Field Tests

Darkhive, Inc.; San Antonio, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical plans

Automatic 401k employer contribution

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

Darkhive, Inc. is seeking a Flight Operations Manager to lead the UAS flight test program, field evaluations, and end-user feedback loops in San Antonio, TX. You will ensure safe testing, coordinate with engineering and product teams, and drive data-driven improvements.

The role requires hands-on leadership, experience as Remote Pilot in Command in austere environments, and the ability to brief leadership on reliability trends. Travel up to 25% is expected.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Aviation, Aerospace/Mechanical/Systems Engineering, Robotics, or related field (equivalent military/public safety/UAS experience considered).
• Certification: Active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and valid driver's license.
• Experience: 5+ years in UAS flight operations, with 2+ years leading flight test/field ops teams.
• Technical breadth: Demonstrated planning of UAS test flights and data collection across engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead UAS flight test events and manage flight crews, airworthiness, and test timelines.
• Act as RPIC and ensure FAA compliance, risk assessments, and SOP adherence.
• Engage with engineering/product teams to set test objectives and data needs.
• Translate operator feedback into actionable improvements for hardware and software roadmaps.

Skills

FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot

Operations leadership

Test planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Security awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aviation/Aerospace/Mechanical/Systems Engineering or equivalent

Tools

PX4

TAK workflows

Telemetry software

Flight planning tools

Job description

Darkhive, Inc. is seeking a Flight Operations Manager to lead the UAS flight test program, field evaluations, and end-user feedback loops in San Antonio, TX. You will ensure safe testing, coordinate with engineering and product teams, and drive data-driven improvements.

The role requires hands-on leadership, experience as Remote Pilot in Command in austere environments, and the ability to brief leadership on reliability trends. Travel up to 25% is expected.