Money · 1 of 5
What drone pilots make
Estimate for full-time work
$60,000
Entry, often part of another job
$38,000
Survey, inspection or film specialist
$95,000
These are estimates, not a measured median. Job Bank does have a drone pilot page, but it files the job under a catch-all group called other service support occupations, where the median is $17.50 an hour, about $36,000 a year. That reflects casual and assistant work, not a certified pilot running survey or inspection contracts. Treat the figures here as a rough guide and check local postings.