'Exam Candidates Soar 70 Times'... Considering Becoming a 'Drone Pilot' Instead of a Taxi Driver After Retirement [New Jobs]

Drone Pilot Certification, 20,000 Annual Applicants
Limitless Potential...Boom Among Older Adults
'Bangje Drone' Market Worth 54 Billion Won Annually

Editor's NoteWith super-aging and ultra-low birth rates, along with the advent of the artificial intelligence (AI) era, new changes are occurring in the world of jobs. We introduce the world of new professions, 'New Jobs,' which open paths for new challenges in working life or a second act in life.

Drone for pesticide spraying [Image source=Yonhap News]

Last November, a woman in her 50s from Ukraine, who has six grandsons, made headlines by voluntarily enlisting as a 'drone pilot' in her country's military. She chose to become a drone pilot after being refused infantry enlistment due to her age. While she might be considered too old to fight on the front lines, she is of sufficient age to operate flying devices remotely.

A woman in her 50s who voluntarily enlisted as a Ukrainian drone pilot, gaining attention
[Image source=TikTok capture]

In fact, many middle-aged and older adults hold drone-related certifications. Since drones are safer than cars, they can be operated relatively easily even by older individuals, and above all, they are regarded as a promising profession in the near future.

You Must Obtain a License to Fly a Drone

In Korea, drone pilots already require a national professional license. Passing the ultralight aircraft pilot license exam (for unmanned flying devices weighing under 150 kg), administered by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, grants the license.

Currently, drone pilot licenses in Korea are classified into four types, from Class 1 to Class 4. The smallest drones available on the market (with a maximum takeoff weight between 250 g and 2 kg) fall under Class 4, which anyone aged 10 or older can operate after completing online training without any flight experience. However, from Class 3 (maximum takeoff weight between 2 and 7 kg) to Class 1 (between 25 and 150 kg), certification is required.

Annual Examinees Already Exceed 20,000... 'Pesticide Spraying Drone' Market Also Booming

The number of examinees is rapidly increasing. In 2015, only 311 candidates took the practical exam, but just four years later, in 2019, the number surpassed 20,000. Considering that drone-related jobs are expected to grow significantly, it is quite possible that drone licenses will become as common as driver's licenses.

The range of tasks drones can perform is vast. The most representative example is transporting supplies to areas lacking general transportation infrastructure. They can also be deployed to inspect disaster sites and industrial areas using cameras.

The pesticide spraying drone market is also in its early growth stage. By spraying pesticides precisely where needed, it can efficiently prevent pests and diseases while drastically reducing labor compared to traditional farming methods. The National Institute of Agricultural Sciences estimates that the domestic market for multi-copter drones used for pest control grew from 17.7 billion KRW in 2016 to 54.4 billion KRW in 2020. Drone spraying methods have been shown to be about 100 times more efficient than manual spraying and approximately 30 times more efficient than conventional helicopter spraying.

Delivery Drones, Drone Taxis, and More: The Market is Expanding

Two-seater drone taxi 'EH216' operated by Chinese company EHang flying over Seoul [Image source=Yonhap News]

In the near future, the role of drone pilots is expected to grow even larger. The introduction of 'Vertiport' facilities, which use multi-copters that take off and land vertically in urban areas to build aerial logistics networks, is imminent, and so-called 'drone taxis,' which expand the concept of drones as transportation, are also under development.

Due to the nature of 'unmanned aerial vehicles,' some concerns exist that drones may achieve autonomous driving before cars do. Drone operation is becoming increasingly easier thanks to advances in control software. However, human intervention remains an indispensable factor in drone flight. Especially in environments with complex terrain and obstacles, human piloting skills with faster judgment and recognition abilities than computers are necessary.