Remote Pilot Operations Lead

Job Purpose:

JOB RESPONSIBILITY

Strategic Oversight of UAV Flight Operations:

• Define and own the operating doctrine for UAV flight operations including mission structures, crew roles, airspace classifications, and contingency architecture.
• Lead the execution of mission-critical, multi-platform UAV deployments across geographies, mission profiles (ISR, tactical loiter, comms relay), and regulatory zones.
• Ensure all operations follow standard mission execution playbooks and contribute to platform maturity through operational analytics.

Advanced Mission Planning & Optimization:

• Oversee creation and validation of all flight plans, including terrain-aware routing, fuel margin modeling, payload timing, alternate site protocols, and airspace deconfliction.
• Approve high-risk or strategic mission routes involving cross-border zones, SATCOM-based BLoS legs, or complex loiter structures.
• Leverage analytics from previous missions to optimize endurance, payload efficiency, and GCS–UAV interaction timing.

Regulatory & ATC Interface Management:

• Act as primary point of contact for civil/military ATC coordination; define communication plans, negotiate clearance windows, and enforce LoS/BLoS protocols.
• Approve flight declarations, frequency assignments, NOTAM submissions, and transponder use for active sorties.
• Liaise with MoD, DGCA, and internal regulatory teams to ensure ongoing compliance and secure future flight corridor access.

Tactical Contingency Command:

• Lead operational response during mission contingencies such as airspace breach, GPS jamming, battery anomalies, link dropouts, or emergency reroutes.
• Authorize strategic decisions such as in-flight diversion, early payload activation, alternate base rerouting, or controlled emergency descent.
• Monitor Battery Management System (BMS) alerts and Power Distribution Board (PDB) health across active sorties to preemptively manage power-related contingencies.
• Implement post-event root cause analysis processes and ensure team readiness through simulations and drills.

Multi-Payload System Leadership:

• Define payload deployment protocols and sequencing for multi-mission profiles involving dual-sensor synchronization (e.g., EO/IR + SAR, ISR + SIGINT).
• Ensure payload teams and pilots are aligned on acquisition geometry, exposure time, onboard processing, and link latency impacts.
• Authorize new payload integration testing missions and approve calibration standards for field deployment.

Fleet Management & Flight Readiness:

• Own fleet-level airworthiness and operational readiness status; ensure UAV assignment based on fatigue cycles, software compatibility, and mission match.
• Coordinate with maintenance, integration, and software leads to certify platforms for upcoming sorties or trials.
• Maintain a centralized view of telemetry health, calibration status, and pilot feedback across platforms.

Flight Crew Capability Development:

• Define pilot certification pathways, simulator hour requirements, field deployment readiness levels, and progression tracks for Engineers and Senior Engineers.
• Supervise team deployment assignments based on terrain complexity, payload configuration, and risk categories.
• Lead team reviews, performance assessments, and mission debriefs focused on decision quality, system handling, and safety compliance.

Compliance Governance & Airworthiness Control:

• Ensure all operations conform to STANAG 4671, MoD trial protocols, DGCA regulatory expectations, and internal SOPs.
• Sign off on operational documentation including mission briefs, ATC logs, flight records, payload logs, and calibration certificates.
• Represent the Remote Pilot function during internal audits, customer evaluations, and certification demonstrations.

Innovation & Flight Operations Process Improvement:

• Sponsor development of new flight control features (e.g., automated failovers, in-flight mission replanning, terrain-aware navigation).
• Lead initiatives for digitization of checklists, telemetry dashboards, and fleet-wide operational health indicators.
• Contribute to roadmap discussions with design, avionics, and autopilot teams based on tactical feedback and mission realities.

Cross-Functional & Executive-Level Engagement

• Collaborate with airframe, propulsion, systems integration, and payload heads to ensure end-to-end mission success.
• Participate in customer briefings, MoD test plans, and program-level decision forums to represent UAV operational capability.
• Report operational KPIs including mission success rate, downtime root causes, regulatory flags, and operator error trends to leadership.

Education background

Engineering in Mech / Electrical or related field

min 15 + years of Exp with RPA