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 Need some guidance for a recent Embry Riddle Grad...any current/retired UAV Pilots here? Recruiters?
BrowardMason  [Team Member]
12/26/2011 11:31:45 PM
This message is cross-posted in the Aviation, Deployed, and Military Forums.

Seasons Greetings, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or are enjoying whatever holidays you and your family celebrate. If you are .mil thank you for your service. If you are Active Duty, and are abroad, I'm sorry you are away from your family during the Holidays I hope you and your brothers make it home soon and safe.

I am posting this message to try to help out a young family member who is getting ready to start his career as a pilot. My cousin who is like a little brother to me just graduated from Embry Riddle with a Major in Aeronautics and Minors in UAV and Aeronautical Science. He currently holds a PPL and Instrument Rating and will have his Multi-Commercial complete by Mid January. He has Around 200 hrs logged in Single Engine and around 100 in Multi and has taken classes in robotics as well.

He really wants to get into UAV's but does not know exactly where to begin. My guess would be to got he military route, but I have no .mil experience/knowledge in the UAV arena so I can't help him. Would the Air Force be the best branch?

I guess I am looking for any advice to give him so he can get on the right track. I am really proud of him and want to help him any way possible even if it's by soliciting information from strangers on an internet forum. I understand that OPSEC may forbid you from sharing too much, but he wants to get to where you are now and any advice or insight on what you may have done differently would be priceless to him

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.
rolex_20001  [Member]
12/27/2011 8:59:13 PM
Try custom and border patrol they were looking for pilots, and UAV pilots
kudzu630  [Team Member]
12/27/2011 10:26:45 PM
He needs to finish his degree at Emory and talk to the Air Force to fly the fun stuff

If he gets out and enlists he can fly small birds in the Army and Marine Corps arsenal.
BrowardMason  [Team Member]
12/27/2011 10:34:15 PM
Originally Posted By kudzu630:
He needs to finish his degree at Emory and talk to the Air Force to fly the fun stuff

If he gets out and enlists he can fly small birds in the Army and Marine Corps arsenal.


Thank you. He has already graduated, he's just finishing his multi/commercial license. I didn't even think about Border Patrol. That is a good idea.
kudzu630  [Team Member]
12/28/2011 6:08:30 AM
Originally Posted By BrowardMason:
Originally Posted By kudzu630:
He needs to finish his degree at Emory and talk to the Air Force to fly the fun stuff

If he gets out and enlists he can fly small birds in the Army and Marine Corps arsenal.


Thank you. He has already graduated, he's just finishing his multi/commercial license. I didn't even think about Border Patrol. That is a good idea.


If you want to be bored, go do the BP thing.

He should really go talk to the Air Force. Might have a way of doing a direct commission.
cobra-ak  [Team Member]
12/28/2011 6:34:37 AM
He might have to fly an RJ first to build up time, you may need 1500 or 2000 hours minimum, RJs at AA Eagle need about 500 hours minmum
vr4rhoads  [Member]
1/2/2012 11:25:46 AM
Just a thought, and I am no expert, but you could also have him look into piloting the uav's for oil rigs, its not in the air but they do use uav's everyday out in the gulf with the rigs and get paid a pretty good amount. Not sure how you would go about this but from what I understand its a pretty chill job.