The aviation industry offers a diverse variety of career opportunities, including many paths that may not seem immediately obvious. Below are some lesser-known aviation careers that not only offer exciting and challenging work environments, but may also prove to be particularly lucrative for those just starting out in the industry.
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Pilot – Heading this list is the category that may prove to be the fastest-growing aviation segment in coming years. Once the sole provenance of the government and military, commercial interest in UAS is growing for a wide range of potential missions, from pipeline inspection and weather monitoring, to news reporting and wedding photography. Starting salaries may begin as high as $50,000 in some fields, with at least one UAS training school advertising the potential for experienced pilots to earn more than $200,000. There is a catch, however; full-scale commercial operations cannot begin until the FAA approves a regulatory framework to integrate UAS into national airspace, which may not happen for a few more years.
