Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Aerial Photographer

🎯 Role Definition

An Aerial Photographer (Drone Pilot / UAV Imaging Specialist) plans and executes aerial imaging missions to capture stills, video, and geospatial data for clients across real estate, construction, energy, surveying, film, and inspection sectors. The role includes pre-flight planning and risk assessment, FAA/compliance management, sensor selection (RGB, multispectral, thermal, LiDAR), advanced camera techniques, post-processing (photogrammetry, HDR, color grading), asset management, and client delivery. The ideal candidate blends photographic artistry, technical drone piloting, data processing, and strong client communication to deliver accurate, on-time visual and geospatial products.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Staff Photographer / Commercial Photographer
Videographer or Cinematographer
Field Technician / Survey Technician

Advancement To:

Senior Aerial Photographer / Lead Drone Pilot
Drone Operations Manager / UAV Program Manager
Photogrammetry or Remote Sensing Lead

Lateral Moves:

GIS Specialist / Mapping Technician
Creative Director / Commercial Photographer
Inspection Specialist (Energy / Infrastructure)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Plan, coordinate, and execute safe aerial photography and video missions, including site reconnaissance, shot lists, airspace checks (NOTAMs), and contingency planning to meet client objectives and creative briefs.
Operate multirotor and fixed-wing UAV platforms to capture high-resolution stills and broadcast-quality video (4K/6K/8K) using professional camera systems and stabilized gimbals under varying environmental conditions.
Maintain FAA Part 107 certification (or local licensing), comply with all applicable aviation regulations, obtain required waivers/permissions, file flight notifications, and maintain accurate flight logs and records.
Conduct thorough pre-flight and post-flight inspections, maintenance, and troubleshooting of drones, cameras, batteries, sensors, and ancillary equipment to ensure reliability and safety on every job.
Execute photogrammetry missions for 2D orthomosaic maps, DEM/DTM generation, and 3D textured models using established flight patterns, overlap settings, GCP placement, and RTK/PPK workflows when required.
Perform thermal inspections using IR sensors for building envelopes, solar arrays, electrical systems, and industrial equipment; document findings and deliver annotated reports with thermal imagery and recommendations.
Capture multispectral and agricultural imagery for crop health analysis, NDVI mapping, and precision agriculture workflows, ensuring correct sensor calibration and metadata capture.
Plan and perform LiDAR and bathymetric-support flights (where applicable), coordinate with data specialists, and ensure correct georeferencing and sensor operation parameters for accurate point clouds.
Prepare camera and exposure settings for complex lighting situations: HDR bracketing, ND filters, time-lapse, low-light/night operations (with permits), and high-frame-rate capture for slow-motion sequences.
Produce professional post-production deliverables: color correction, color grading, retouching, compositing, stabilization, and encoding for web, broadcast, print, and GIS-ready outputs using Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects.
Process and generate photogrammetry deliverables using Pix4D, Agisoft Metashape, DroneDeploy, or equivalent, producing orthophotos, point clouds, DSM/DTM, and volumetric measurements to client specifications.
Manage digital asset pipelines: ingest RAW files, backup to redundant storage, catalog metadata, apply naming conventions, and deliver files via secure cloud delivery platforms.
Create actionable inspection reports and annotated deliverables that combine imagery, measurements, and observations for stakeholders (engineers, contractors, insurers) including recommended next steps.
Collaborate with clients, project managers, surveyors, and engineers to define objectives, scope, deliverables, timelines, and budgets, translating technical limitations into feasible flight plans and visual strategies.
Perform site-specific risk assessments, create S.O.P.s and safety briefings, coordinate ground crew and spotters, and maintain PPE and emergency procedures to minimize hazards.
Monitor weather, airspace activity, and environmental conditions and make go/no-go decisions based on safety, compliance, and quality considerations; reschedule flights as needed while maintaining client communication.
Scout and develop creative aerial compositions and sequences to meet marketing and storytelling goals, producing location-based shot lists, storyboards, and B-roll plans for promotional, film, and advertising projects.
Provide on-site client briefings and previews, capture client feedback, and iterate to deliver final assets that meet brand guidelines, platform specs, and stakeholder expectations.
Conduct training and mentorship for junior pilots, interns, or contractors on flight operations, equipment handling, post-processing workflows, and safety practices to scale operations.
Estimate project costs, prepare proposals, manage invoicing and deliverable acceptance, and maintain strong client relationships to support repeat business and referrals.
Keep current on emerging drone technologies, sensors, software, and regulatory changes; recommend upgrades to fleet, software, and workflows to maintain competitive service offerings.
Attend pre-construction, monitoring, or film production meetings to coordinate aerial work with ground operations, ensuring minimal disruption and safe integration into larger projects.
Maintain insurance certificates, equipment inventories, and vendor relationships for rentals, repairs, and specialized sensors to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
Validate delivered data by performing QA/QC checks on image alignment, geolocation accuracy, exposure consistency, and file integrity prior to client handoff.

Secondary Functions

Support marketing efforts by producing portfolio content, social media clips, and case studies showcasing aerial capabilities and successful client projects.
Assist sales teams with technical proposals, sample deliverables, and on-site demonstrations to help convert leads and explain value propositions.
Maintain and update SOP documentation, checklists, and knowledge base articles for standard flight procedures, post-processing recipes, and client templates.
Participate in industry conferences, trade shows, and local stakeholder meetings to represent the company and generate business opportunities.
Manage equipment purchasing requests, vendor quotes, and small-budget approvals to keep the fleet mission-ready.
Coordinate with legal and compliance teams to ensure contracts, data retention policies, and privacy measures align with local and international laws.
Contribute to internal R&D by testing new sensors, flight modes, and processing techniques to expand service offerings such as 3D modeling, VR panoramas, or thermal analytics.
Provide emergency on-call support for urgent inspection flights (e.g., storm damage assessment, critical infrastructure checks) as business needs dictate.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

FAA Part 107 remote pilot certification (or regional equivalent) with a current understanding of airspace rules and waiver processes.
Proven drone piloting experience on commercial platforms (DJI Mavic/Phantom/Inspire, Matrice series, Autel, senseFly, Wingtra) and familiarity with both multirotor and fixed-wing operations.
Proficiency in photogrammetry and mapping software: Pix4D, Agisoft Metashape, DroneDeploy, Propeller, or similar to create orthophotos, DSMs, and 3D models.
Experience with LiDAR and multispectral sensors and workflows, including point cloud processing and geospatial data integration into GIS tools.
Advanced camera operation skills for aerial platforms: manual exposure, RAW capture, shutter/ISO settings, lens selection, and gimbal control.
Post-production expertise: Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Capture One; ability to deliver broadcast-ready video and print-quality imagery.
Strong knowledge of image formats, codecs, color spaces, LUTs, and export settings for web, print, and broadcast deliverables.
Competence with flight planning and mission apps: DroneDeploy, Litchi, DJI Pilot, Pix4Dcapture, AirMap; experience designing waypoint missions and GCP strategies.
Data management and backup best practices: DIT workflows, NAS/cloud storage, metadata tagging, and secure file transfer (WeTransfer, Dropbox Business, Aspera).
Basic GIS familiarity (ArcGIS, QGIS) to integrate imagery into mapping projects and collaborate with survey teams on georeferencing and coordinate systems.
Technical troubleshooting skills for hardware, firmware, and sensor issues; battery management and field repairs.
Ability to perform calibrated thermal imaging and interpret thermal data for inspection reporting.
Knowledge of safety management systems (SMS), S.O.P. development, and risk assessment methods for aerial operations.

Soft Skills

Strong client-facing communication; able to translate technical constraints into clear expectations and deliver creative briefs.
Attention to detail and a visual creative eye for composition, framing, and storytelling from aerial perspectives.
Project management and time management skills to handle multiple concurrent jobs, deadlines, and deliverable pipelines.
Problem-solving mindset with adaptability to changing weather, site conditions, and client requests.
Teamwork and leadership: coordinate ground crew, spotters, and cross-functional teams while maintaining safety and professional conduct.
Critical thinking for QA/QC of imagery, measurements, and mapping outputs.
Confidentiality and professional discretion when working on sensitive or private properties.
Customer service orientation with responsiveness and proactive communication.
Teaching and mentoring capability to develop junior staff and share best practices.
Business acumen for quoting jobs, managing budgets, and identifying upsell opportunities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; vocational training or certifications in drone operations, photography, or related fields preferred.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Photography, Film & Media, Geomatics, Surveying, Remote Sensing, GIS, Civil Engineering, or a related technical/creative discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Photography / Visual Arts
Film & Video Production / Cinematography
Geomatics / Surveying
GIS / Remote Sensing
Computer Science / Software Engineering (for advanced processing)
Civil / Structural Engineering (for inspection roles)
Agricultural Science (for precision ag roles)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–7 years of professional photography/videography experience with at least 1–3 years of dedicated commercial drone operations.

Preferred:

3+ years of commercial aerial photography/videography with a strong portfolio demonstrating photogrammetry, inspection, and creative marketing work; documented experience with FAA Part 107 (or local equivalent), flight logs, QA/QC of mapping deliverables, and client references.