At the National Business Aviation Administration-Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker signed the SFAR, which contains initial operational rules and pilot training requirements for powered-lift aircraft and will remain in effect for 10 years.

“It’s here today,” Whitaker told NBAA-BACE attendees Tuesday morning. “It is now a final rule.”

The FAA called the SFAR the “final piece in the puzzle” for introducing powered-lift aircraft, which could begin flying passengers, cargo, and even ambulance services in rural and urban areas as soon as next year.

The category is a relatively new, special class of aircraft covering designs that take off vertically like a helicopter but cruise on fixed wings like an airplane. To be considered powered-lift, the aircraft must generate lift primarily from its engines—which can be electric, hydrogen, or hybrid-powered—while relying on rigid components, usually wings, for horizontal flight. They will become the first new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.

The FAA sometimes refers to these as vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) or advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, the latter term covering new aircraft technology more broadly.

For years, the agency communicated to the aviation industry that there would be a pathway for powered-lift designs—such as electric air taxis being developed by Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and others—to be certified as Part 23 normal category aircraft.

But the regulator unexpectedly reversed course in 2022, determining instead that they would be certified as Part 21 special class aircraft. That kicked off a yearslong effort to develop an entirely new set of rules for powered-lift pilot training, operations, maintenance, and more.

The FAA last year released a proposal addressing several of those areas. It was panned by a collective of industry groups, however, who argued that the proposed pilot training requirements were too strict. They also clamored for performance-based operational rules—drawing from aircraft and rotorcraft guidelines as appropriate—rather than the creation of a new powered-lift operational category, as the FAA proposed.

FAA and Department of Transportation officials have promised to address the industry’s concerns. According to Whitaker, the SFAR does exactly that.

“For the last 80 years, we’ve had two types [of aircraft], rotor and fixed wing,” he said. “We now have a third type…and this rule will create an operating environment so these companies can figure out how to train pilots. They can figure out how to operate.”

The SFAR applies helicopter rules to certain phases of powered-lift flight, regardless of whether the aircraft is operating like a helicopter or an airplane. But in response to the industry’s feedback, it uses performance-based rules for certain operations, applying airplane, rotorcraft, or helicopter rules as appropriate.

For example, powered-lift aircraft can use helicopter minimums for VFR and IFR fuel requirements and minimum safe altitudes when they are capable of performing a vertical landing at any point along the route, as a helicopter is. This will allow manufacturers to get around the issue of low battery energy density, for example, by lowering the fuel reserve requirement.

“The rulemaking approach now is to really focus on performance and making sure you can prove that you can operate safely, or you can meet certain performance metrics, rather than being prescriptive and telling you exactly how to do it,” Whitaker said. “So we’re trying to create a larger envelope to have different means of compliance for some of the requirements and the rules.”

The approach mirrors the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) special class for VTOL (SC-VTOL) rules, which base operational guidelines on situational factors—like reserve fuel levels—instead of aircraft design. It’s a change that will be welcomed by manufacturers, who can now design aircraft for a wide range of operations rather than those defined by a narrow powered-lift category.

“We need to have the flexibility to allow these businesses to succeed, do so safely, and adjust our approach as we go along,” Whitaker said.

The other major difference between the SFAR and the FAA’s initial proposal is the creation of a pathway to train powered-lift pilots with a single set of flight controls. Some programs will still require dual controls. But throwover controls and simulator training will be acceptable substitutes. The change is a big one, as many powered-lift manufacturers designed their aircraft—including trainers—with single controls.

“Some pilot training can happen in the normal way that it’s always happened, with an instructor that has a set of controls and a student that has a set of controls,” Whitaker said. “But sometimes it’s a single set of controls that are accessible to an instructor, so we have rules that allow for that type of operation. And sometimes they have other configurations. So there again, we put in performance metrics to make sure that the companies can train instructors, and the instructors can train pilots.”

Last year, the FAA released a blueprint intended to serve as a framework for policymakers, describing a “crawl-walk-fly” approach to integrate powered-lift designs alongside conventional aircraft. The agency predicts they will initially use existing helicopter routes and infrastructure, and pilots will communicate with air traffic control as needed.

But Whitaker on Tuesday said the FAA will continue developing a new ecosystem for powered-lift aircraft. Critical to its blueprint is the construction of vertiports: vertical takeoff and landing sites equipped with electric chargers and other powered-lift infrastructure.

“The blueprint that we put in place 16 months ago for introducing this technology includes vertiports, and we’ll continue to work on that issue,” Whitaker said.

Plenty more work must be done in order for powered-lift designs to take to the skies at scale. But the SFAR gives the industry a practical pathway to begin flying.

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At the National Business Aviation Association-Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, Supernal said it will work with FBO network Clay Lacy Aviation to prepare the latter’s sites for eVTOL air taxis. Separately, the manufacturer signed a deal with Blade Urban Air Mobility with an eye toward refining and creating hypothetical routes for its flagship design.

Supernal’s SA-2, unveiled in January, is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers in urban areas such as Miami or Los Angeles, the firm’s planned launch markets. Taking off vertically like a helicopter but cruising on fixed wings, it will have an initial range of about 60 sm (52 nm) and cruise at 120 mph (104 knots) at around 1,500 feet agl. The aircraft’s zero-emission and low-noise operation is another key selling point.

At NBAA-BACE from Tuesday to Thursday, Supernal will take attendees into a virtual reality space at Henderson Executive Airport (KHND) to give them an idea of the flying experience both for pilots and passengers.

The manufacturer at the event also announced a collaboration with Clay Lacy Aviation, its first official FBO partner, that will prepare the firm’s locations for eVTOL aircraft.

The strategy of working with FBOs to electrify their terminals is not uncommon in the nascent eVTOL space. Clay Lacy—the lone FBO accredited by the NBAA as a Sustainable Flight Department for its use of environmentally friendly infrastructure—is also installing infrastructure for eVTOL manufacturers Joby Aviation and Overair, for example.

Joby, Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, and Lilium have similar arrangements with Atlantic Aviation. Archer and Beta are further working with another FBO network, Signature Aviation.

“Availability of infrastructure will be critical to scaling the AAM industry, and this partnership is the latest step in ensuring the ecosystem is thoughtfully designed for future commercial eVTOL operators,” said Diana Cooper, chief partnerships and policy officer for Supernal.

The manufacturer’s five-year agreement with Clay Lacy Aviation will focus on how to integrate eVTOL into existing airport operations, namely by devising standards and procedures for ground handling, battery management, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). Supernal will further assist Clay Lacy Aviation with the installation of power and charging systems.

The partners will initially focus on the FBO network’s sites at Orange County Airport (KSNA) and Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) in Southern California, where Supernal plans to launch near the end of the decade. Later on, they will take what they have learned from those locations to prepare Clay Lacy Aviation’s broader network.

“Supernal and Clay Lacy share strong commitments to sustainable aviation, safe and efficient operations and a superior passenger experience that benefits the communities we serve,” said Scott Cutshall, president of real estate and sustainability for Clay Lacy Aviation.

Cutshall and Cooper on Wednesday will discuss how FBOs more broadly can prepare for electric air taxis on a NBAA-BACE panel that also includes representatives from Joby, Beta, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Separately, Supernal announced a three-year partnership with Blade, an operator of primarily helicopters that offers private, on-demand flights in New York City and a few other markets.

The partners will create hypothetical New York City routes to plan for air taxi, organ transplant transport, and other future eVTOL services. They will also look for “advantageous commercial arrangements in geographies of mutual interest”—such as a network in Southern California that combines Supernal’s eVTOL and Blade’s air charter broker platform.

“Our goal is to make aviation more accessible by preparing to adopt eVTOL aircraft,” said Melissa Tomkiel, president and general counsel of Blade. “In combining Blade’s expertise with Supernal’s forward-thinking innovations, this partnership is poised to accelerate AAM development and enable quiet, safe, and emission-free transportation.”

Supernal will help guide Blade’s plans to launch an AAM offering with technical and operational support. Blade in return will provide feedback on Supernal’s aircraft design, safety, passenger comfort, and potential to operate across multiple markets.

“It is critical we collaborate with experienced commercial partners like Blade to ensure our eVTOL’s cabin features align with passenger expectations for comfort, safety and efficiency in the next generation of inter-city mobility,” said David Rottblatt, senior director of strategy and commercialization at Supernal.

A Supernal-Blade network could fly passengers and cargo between Blade terminals at heliports and airports. At NBAA-BACE, for example, Blade is offering private helicopter flights between Henderson Executive Airport and the Las Vegas Convention Center, providing a glimpse of what a Supernal eVTOL route may look like.

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The aircraft—which take off vertically like a helicopter but cruise on fixed wings like an airplane—could begin flying passengers in the Big Apple as soon as next year.

Atlantic on Thursday said the chargers will be installed at its terminal at the East 34th Street Heliport (6N5) on the Manhattan waterfront, where the company this week agreed with the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to extend its operations for the next five years.

The location is a hub for trips in and around New York City and handles flights for New York University’s Langone Health Center. And according to Atlantic, eVTOL manufacturers Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation—which have announced New York City as a launch market in partnership with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, respectively—plan to use the site in the coming years.

To accommodate both companies’ air taxis, Atlantic will install combined charging system (CCS) and global electric aviation charging system (GEACS) chargers.

The CCS was originally designed as a standard for electric ground vehicles and has been widely endorsed—including by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), as well as Archer and other manufacturers—as the standard for eVTOL aircraft. Joby chose to develop its own system, GEACS, which like the CCS is billed as a universal charger for electric aircraft. The main difference is that CCS systems can also accommodate ground vehicles.

Atlantic said it is working with Joby, Archer, and a third partner, Beta Technologies, to ensure that all certified eVTOL models can land at the heliport as soon as they receive the FAA’s green light to begin flying passengers.

“Maintaining our presence at the East 34th Street Heliport and expanding infrastructure there to support eVTOL operations aligns with our commitment to community-beneficial transportation solutions and will support New York City on its journey to facilitating quiet and sustainable aviation operations,” said John Redcay, chief commercial and sustainability officer at Atlantic.

New York is already home to scheduled and on-demand helicopter services such as Blade Air Mobility. But eVTOL air taxi manufacturers promise a service that is faster and quieter.

Joby and Archer, through its Archer Air subsidiary, each own FAA Part 135 air carrier permissions and are in the thick of the type certification process. The companies intend to offer flights to and from local airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), with eVTOL air taxis that can carry up to four passengers plus a pilot.

The zero-emission aircraft cruise at around 150 to 200 mph, charging in about 10-15 minutes for minimal downtime between flights. They are also significantly quieter than helicopters—NASA, for example, found that Joby’s air taxi produces about as much noise as a typical conversation at cruising altitude.

Joby earlier this month showcased its air taxi at New York’s Grand Central Terminal and last year performed the first eVTOL demonstration flights in the city, lifting off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (KJRB) as Mayor Eric Adams and other officials looked on. Adams after the event announced the city’s plans to electrify the heliport.

Joby and Delta, meanwhile, are working with the New York Port Authority and NYCEDC to build eVTOL infrastructure at JFK and LaGuardia International Airport (KLGA). According to the manufacturer, an air taxi flight from Manhattan to JFK would take about seven minutes compared to an hour-plus drive by car.

Archer, on the other hand, estimates a flight in its Midnight air taxi from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to United’s terminal at Newark Liberty would take about 10 minutes, compared to more than an hour in rush hour traffic. The company will initially operate airport-to-city-center “trunk” routes before adding “branch” routes that connect wider communities.

“New York City is leading the way in embracing this exciting new technology…that will bring significant quality of life improvements for New Yorkers and new sustainable transportation,” said Andrew Kimball, president and CEO of NYCEDC. “NYCEDC looks forward to working with Atlantic Aviation in our continued partnership as they ready East 34th Street for quieter and greener helicopter alternatives.”

Archer and Joby claim their offerings will be akin to ground-based rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft. Joby, for example, recently unveiled an Uber-like software for pilots and riders, which autonomously assigns users a flight based on their desired origin, destination, and departure time. Through an integration, Joby riders will be able to book rides on the Uber platform and vice versa.

The companies also claim their services will be cost competitive with existing rideshare platforms. Both firms have appointed veterans of Uber Elevate—which ran the short-lived UberCopter service—to their leadership teams, which could help them learn from the failed service’s missteps.

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Axiom received a nearly $230 million task order to develop the AxEMU suit, which Artemis astronauts will test out on the lunar surface. The task order is part of a contract with NASA worth up to $3.5 billion that also includes Collins Aerospace, which earlier this year abandoned efforts to develop extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits under its own $100 million task order.

NASA’s current EVA suits are more than four decades old, and recent malfunctions have forced the space agency to postpone several spacewalks.

“We have broken the mold,” said Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space. “The Axiom Space-Prada partnership has set a new foundational model for cross-industry collaboration, further expanding what’s possible in commercial space.”

Artemis III will land a crew at the lunar south pole, so Axiom’s suit is designed to withstand extreme temperatures in regions devoid of sunlight. Its portable life support system will keep astronauts safe on spacewalks for up to eight hours, the company says.

Axiom says its design is more flexible, efficient, and safe than NASA’s existing suits. The AxEMU boots, for example, are built to withstand rough terrain and the freezing cold, while the helmet and visor covering are designed to improve astronauts’ vision of their surroundings. The suit can accommodate crew of nearly all body types.

Several AxEMU systems are redundant, including an onboard diagnostic system that tracks the wearer’s vital signs. Astronauts can control its temperature using a carbon dioxide scrubber and cooling system. A 4G/LTE communications system allows them to keep in touch with the rest of the crew during excursions.

The outer suit material, which was designed in partnership with Prada, will reflect heat and protect against small projectiles like dust.

“I’m very proud of the result we’re showing today, which is just the first step in a long-term collaboration with Axiom Space,” said Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer and head of corporate social responsibility for Prada Group. “We’ve shared our expertise on high-performance materials, features, and sewing techniques, and we learned a lot.”

According to Axiom, the suit will be designed for missions on the moon as well as in low-Earth orbit. That could be enticing for non-NASA customers that have different missions in mind.

The firm on Wednesday said the AxEMU suit is close to the final stage of development, with a critical design review expected next year. Already, it has endured underwater, reduced gravity, and pressurized simulation testing at NASA facilities. In the coming months, the space agency will perform crewed underwater testing at its Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and gauge the suit’s fit with the prototype lunar rover the Artemis astronauts will drive.

Simultaneously, Axiom is developing the Axiom Station: one of several commercial space outposts that could replace the International Space Station (ISS) when NASA destroys it at the end of the decade. The firm has already completed three NASA-approved private astronaut missions to the ISS and is scheduled for a fourth in Spring 2025.

NASA’s largest commercial partner, SpaceX, meanwhile, has developed its own EVA spacesuit, which debuted during the first civilian spacewalk on September’s Polaris Dawn mission. The company claims it will one day manufacture thousands of suits for future astronauts to build and explore on Mars.

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Manufacturers of novel eVTOL aircraft—designed to take off and land vertically like a helicopter but cruise on fixed wings like an airplane—have raised billions of dollars in venture capital. The FAA’s Innovate28 plan even predicts they will be a regular occurrence in U.S. skies by the time the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games arrive.

The industry is also backed by the Air Force via the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Agility Prime program, which it founded in 2020 to speed the development of vertical lift technology.

But according to research from Rand Corporation’s Project Air Force, which analyzes issues facing the department, the military may not be getting bang for its buck. Of note, the study was completed in July 2022 and has not since been revised.

“While eVTOL aircraft could likely benefit select USAF missions, eVTOL aircraft are unlikely to be transformational to the USAF,” researchers concluded. “Furthermore, injecting capital into eVTOL firms is not likely to have Agility Prime’s desired effect of shaping the domestic eVTOL industry.”

eVTOL is a new technology, but some designs are already flying. The EH216-S manufactured by China’s EHang, for example, last year earned the world’s first type certification for an eVTOL air taxi and has since completed a handful of commercial flights with real passengers. Pivotal, meanwhile, has already delivered its BlackFly personal eVTOL to private owners nationwide.

Many more such designs are under development to enable aerial rideshare services akin to Uber or Lyft, tourism and sightseeing, and regional transport.

The Air Force through Agility Prime has taken an interest in these technologies.

This year, it conducted the first simulated casualty evacuation and real-time deployments with an electric aircraft, Beta Technologies’ Alia. It is also testing eVTOL air taxis such as Archer Aviation’s Midnight and Joby Aviation’s S4 and personal eVTOL aircraft such as the BlackFly and Jump Aero’s Pulse, as well as non-VTOL electric models such as Electra’s EL-2 Goldfinch and Pipistrel’s Velis Electro. Autonomous systems from Reliable Robotics and Xwing (now a subsidiary of Joby) have further been evaluated through the Autonomy Prime division.

The AFRL commissioned research to gauge how much the Air Force benefits from Agility Prime—as well as how much the program actually helps its commercial partners. Researchers reviewed literature and case studies, discussed with experts, and modeled eVTOL operations, batteries, and more.

“Prime routinely assesses our portfolio and investment strategy to ensure we invest in emergent dual-use technology that can positively impact, and align with the priorities of the U.S. Air Force and broader Department of Defense,” Jacob Wilson, acting branch chief of Agility Prime, told FLYING.

Researchers found that for eVTOL specifically to be commercially viable, they will need to have sufficient charging infrastructure, pilot training, public trust, and, of course, safety. Further, improvements to systems such as lithium-ion batteries could increase their range and payload, opening up more use cases. But the technology in its current form can support some USAF missions.

For example, airmen could perform airlifts when Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft are unavailable or move forces between facilities in place of cars. The technology’s runway and jet fuel independence are big draws.

“However, eVTOLs are unlikely to be transformational today, and no major command appears ready to sponsor an eVTOL capability today,” researchers said.

Rand predicts the Air Force will make up only a “fraction of a percent” of the demand in the future eVTOL market. The department also “lacks sufficient mechanisms,” it said, to influence commercial firms to produce aircraft suitable for military use. Further, security vulnerabilities may arise due to certain countries dominating the production of components like semiconductors.

Researchers recommended that Agility Prime scale back the program to a “few of the most-capable eVTOL aircraft” and smaller demonstrations. It should continue working with commercial partners, they said—but crucially, those relationships should not be tied to funding.

In addition, researchers urged Agility Prime to support government agencies working toward key regulations around FAA eVTOL certification, air traffic control, and pilot requirements, the latter being a particularly contentious issue for the industry.

“Agility Prime has focused on experimentation, demonstration, and military exercise opportunities with the technologies in our portfolio, as well as user feedback, to promote dual use eVTOL development[…]to leverage commercial technology for military applications,” Wilson said in response to the report’s suggestions. “Additionally, the program has been continuously engaged in nonmonetary or ‘in-kind’ collaboration and knowledge sharing opportunities.”

Agility Prime may be forced to accept at least some of Rand’s recommendations due to a constrained budget environment.

The Air Force’s fiscal year 2025 budget request does not keep up with inflation. And AFWERX, which houses Agility Prime, is only projected to receive about $20 million of it—a substantial decline from last year’s request of $83.3 million. As a result, less funding to commercial partners may be inevitable.

Backers such as Stellantis and Toyota, meanwhile, continue to pour money into the industry.

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The first Part 107 commercial drone pilot rules were enacted in August 2016. Eight years later, there are more than 400,000 certified remote pilots and more than 785,000 registered drones. 

Drone technology has already proven itself across a wide range of industries, including law enforcement, industrial inspections, precision agriculture, search and rescue, and more.

Although drone technology has changed a lot since the FAA first started regulating commercial operations, what has stayed the same is the need for skilled and legal drone pilots. 

With regulators making moves to strengthen the domestic market, now is the time to consider a career change or even pick up a side hustle as a drone pilot.

But how much can you make as a drone pilot? The answer to that question is more complex because a drone pilot’s salary can vary widely depending on several factors.

Let’s dig into the details and shed some light on the earning potential of commercial drone pilots.

Factors Affecting Drone Pilot Salary

To answer the question of how much drone pilots make, we need to examine the factors affecting drone pilot salaries. While many variables can affect what drone pilot jobs pay, most can be broken into one of four categories:

• Industry
• Experience level
• Location
• Employment type

How Industry Impacts Drone Pilot Salaries

One of the biggest factors that influence how much a drone pilot can earn is the industry in which they work.

Drones are used in many different sectors, each with its own pay scale. The latest trends in technology also impact each of these industries and what career paths are open to drone pilots.

• Real estate: In real estate, drones are often used to take aerial photos and videos of properties. These visuals can give potential buyers a better understanding of the property’s layout and surroundings. Real estate drone pilots typically earn a moderate salary, but those specializing in high-end properties can earn more. This is where most pilots, especially those using drones as a side hustle, typically work.
• Film and photography: The film and photography industry is another major employer of drone pilots. Drones are used to capture breathtaking shots that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional cameras. Pilots in this industry can command high rates, especially if they have experience working on big-budget productions.
• Agriculture: In agriculture, drones monitor crops, map fields, and spray pesticides. The pay in this sector can vary, but experienced pilots with specialized knowledge in agriculture can earn a good salary.
• Inspection and maintenance: Drones are increasingly used to inspect and maintain infrastructure like bridges, power lines, and pipelines. This type of work often requires pilots to have specialized skills and certifications, which can lead to higher pay.
• Public safety and emergency services: Drones play an important role in public safety and emergency services, such as search and rescue operations, firefighting, and law enforcement. Pilots working in this sector might not earn as much as those in the film industry, but the work can be incredibly rewarding and offer job stability.
• Delivery services: Companies such as Amazon and UPS are exploring using drones for delivery services. While this sector is still in its early stages, it has the potential to offer good salaries as the technology and demand for drone deliveries grow.
• Military and government: The military and government agencies also employ drone pilots, often for surveillance, reconnaissance, and other tactical operations. Pilots in these roles can earn high salaries, especially with military experience or specialized training.

Role of Experience Level in Determining Drone Pilot Earnings

Another key factor in determining a drone pilot’s salary is their experience level.

• Entry level vs. experienced pilots: As in any other job, entry-level drone pilots typically earn less than those with more experience. However, the great thing about the drone industry is that there are plenty of opportunities to gain experience quickly. Many drone pilots start by taking on smaller, lower-paying jobs to build their portfolio. As they gain experience and improve their skills, they can start charging higher rates and taking on more lucrative jobs. Flight hours are a common way the industry tracks experience level. New pilots can expect to command hourly rates of $50 to $100, while experienced pilots can get much higher amounts.
• Certifications and licenses: Certifications and licenses can greatly impact a drone pilot’s salary. In the United States, for example, drone pilots must obtain a Part 107 certification from the FAA to operate commercially. Online courses like those provided by Altitude University and the Pilot Institute are excellent ways to prepare for the Part 107 exam. Pilots with additional certifications, such as those operating drones in specific industries or environments, typically command higher rates.

Location Matters: How Geography Affects Drone Pilot Pay

Where a drone pilot works can also have a significant impact on their salary. Some markets have more opportunities than others. Salaries can vary significantly from one area to another.

• Geographical differences in salary: Salaries for drone pilots can vary depending on the location. For example, drone pilots working in major cities or tech hubs like San Francisco, New York, or Los Angeles might earn more than those working in smaller towns or rural areas. This is partly due to the higher demand for drone services in urban areas and the generally higher cost of living.
• Cost of living impact: Considering how this affects a drone pilot’s salary is important. A higher salary in an expensive city might not go as far as a lower salary in a more affordable area. Drone pilots must weigh these factors when deciding where to base their operations.

Employment Type: Full time vs. Freelance Earnings for Drone Pilots

The type of employment a drone pilot chooses can also affect their earnings. There are pros and cons to each path you choose, and deciding one way or another depends on your goals and personal preferences.

• Full time vs. freelance: Some drone pilots work full-time for a company, while others operate as freelancers. Full-time positions often have steady salaries and benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans. On the other hand, freelance drone pilots have the potential to earn more by taking on multiple clients and charging higher rates. Still, they also have to manage their business expenses and deal with the uncertainty of fluctuating income.
• Salary vs. hourly rate: Drone pilots can be paid a salary or an hourly rate, depending on the job. Salaried positions typically offer more stability, while hourly rates can vary widely depending on the complexity and duration of the job. Freelancers often charge hourly or per project, and their rates can increase as they gain more experience and build a strong portfolio.

Exploring Salary Ranges for Drone Pilots: What to Expect

Now that we’ve covered the factors influencing a drone pilot’s salary let’s look at some average earnings.

• General salary ranges for different industries: On average, drone pilots in the real estate industry can expect to earn anywhere from $40,000 to $70,000 per year. Those working in the film and photography industry earn between $50,000 and $100,000, depending on their experience and the types of projects they work on. In agriculture, salaries typically range from $40,000 to $80,000. Pilots working in inspection and maintenance can earn between $50,000 and $90,000, while those in public safety and emergency services might earn between $40,000 and $75,000 annually.
• Comparison of salaries in different regions: Salaries can also vary based on location. For example, a drone pilot in California might earn significantly more than a pilot in the Midwest due to the higher demand for drone services and the higher cost of living in the state. In contrast, a drone pilot working in a rural area might earn less, but their cost of living would also be lower. Remember that there are always exceptions to the rule. I often work in very rural areas. Since I am the only pilot willing to take the work, I can often charge several thousand dollars for a single day’s work.
• Potential for high earnings in specialized roles: High earnings are even greater for drone pilots who specialize in a particular industry or have advanced certifications. Pilots who work on big-budget film productions or handle complex inspections for critical infrastructure can earn six-figure salaries. Additionally, those with a strong reputation and network can command premium service rates.

Proven Strategies to Boost Your Earnings as a Drone Pilot

If you’re a drone pilot looking to boost your earnings, here are some strategies to consider. These time-tested recommendations have helped many pilots rise to the top of their respective markets.

• Building a strong portfolio: One of the best ways to increase your value as a drone pilot is to build a strong portfolio that showcases your skills and experience. A portfolio with high-quality images, videos, and case studies can help you stand out to potential clients and employers.
• Networking and marketing: Networking is not just a bonus in the drone industry; it’s a necessity. Connecting with other professionals, attending industry events, and promoting your services online can increase your visibility and attract more clients. Social media platforms, especially LinkedIn and YouTube, can be powerful tools for marketing your services. Remember, it’s not just what you know but who you know that can make a difference in your career.
• Acquiring additional certifications: As mentioned earlier, having additional certifications can help you command higher rates. Consider pursuing certifications relevant to the industry you want to work in, such as thermography for inspections or cinematography for film work. Online learning platforms offer additional training beyond Part 107. Many schools offer classes in real estate photography, thermal inspections, cinematography, and more.
• Staying updated on industry trends: The drone industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies and applications emerging all the time. Staying updated on industry trends and continuing to learn new skills can help you stay competitive and increase your earning potential. Numerous conferences and events throughout the year are excellent ways to stay on top of the latest trends.

Maximizing Your Earning Potential as a Drone Pilot

The drone industry is an exciting and rapidly growing field, offering a wide range of opportunities for those interested in becoming drone pilots.

Whether you’re drawn to the creative aspects of aerial photography or the technical challenges of industrial inspections, there’s a niche for everyone. As you’ve learned, factors like industry, experience, location, and employment type play crucial roles in determining how much you can earn as a drone pilot.

Getting the proper training and certifications is essential if you’re ready to take the next step toward a lucrative and fulfilling career. Institutions such as Altitude University and the Pilot Institute offer comprehensive courses that can help you get certified and build the skills necessary to excel in this competitive market.

Investing in your education and staying current with industry trends will enhance your earning potential and position you as a leader in the drone industry. Reach out to these online schools today and start your journey toward becoming a highly skilled and successful drone pilot.

FAQs

What certifications do I need to become a commercial drone pilot?

To become a commercial drone pilot in the United States, you need to obtain a Part 107 certification from the FAA. This involves passing a written exam that covers topics like airspace regulations, weather, and drone operation.

What are the typical costs involved in becoming a drone pilot?

Becoming a drone pilot includes the Part 107 exam fee (around $175), a quality drone (ranging from $500 to several thousand dollars), and additional expenses for training courses, insurance, and software.

What legal considerations must I be aware of as a drone pilot?

As a drone pilot, you must follow FAA regulations, including flying within visual line of sight (VLOS), avoiding restricted airspace, and respecting privacy laws. Understanding local and federal regulations is crucial to operating legally and safely.

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These two factors have combined to create new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs. The FAA estimates that the number of commercial drones in the U.S. will exceed 835,000 by 2025, highlighting how big the industry is becoming.

If you aren’t a part of the more than 400,000 with remote pilot certifications, it’s not too late to become one. Starting a drone business can be highly lucrative if approached with careful planning and strategic execution.

Our guide will walk you through the essential steps to launching and growing a profitable drone business, from initial market research to scaling your operations.

These seven steps will help guide you in building a profitable business as a commercial drone pilot:

• Market research and business planning
• Certifications and licenses
• Equipment selection
• Insurance
• Marketing and sales
• Operations and safety
• Scaling your business

Strategic Market Research and Business Planning

Starting a new business without a plan is never a good idea. As the saying goes, those without a plan should plan to fail.

Even in a growing sector like the drone industry, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is jumping in without preparing yourself for the challenges all new businesses face. For this reason, this step is one of the most involved. 

Identifying Your Done Business’ Target Market

The first step in starting a drone business is identifying your target market and niche.

The drone industry is diverse, offering opportunities in areas such as aerial photography, videography, agricultural monitoring, real estate marketing, infrastructure inspection, and more. To succeed, you must decide which niche aligns with your skills, interests, and the demand in your region.

For example, if you have a background in agriculture, consider offering precision farming services, such as using drones for crop monitoring, soil analysis, and pest control. Alternatively, if you’re skilled in photography, you could target the real estate market, providing high-quality aerial imagery and videos for property listings.

Understanding the Drone Landscape

Once you’ve identified your niche, conduct a competitive analysis to understand the landscape. This analysis is very helpful in pointing out your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to differentiate your services and capitalize on market opportunities.

Start your analysis by identifying other drone businesses in your area or within your chosen niche and analyze their strengths, weaknesses, pricing strategies, and customer reviews. This research will help you identify gaps in the market and opportunities to differentiate your services.

For example, you might find that while there are many aerial photographers in your area, few offer advanced services like 3D mapping or thermal imaging, presenting an opportunity for you to fill that void.

Business Plan for the Drone Industry

Next, you will want to develop a business plan since it is essential for guiding your decisions and securing financing.

Plans come in all shapes and sizes, but most have some basic components. Your plan should include:

• Executive summary: An overview of your business, including your mission statement and objectives.
• Market analysis: Insights from your market research and competitive analysis.
• Service offerings: A detailed description of the services you plan to offer.
• Marketing strategies: How you will attract and retain clients.
• Financial projections: Revenue forecasts, expense estimates, and profitability analysis.
• Operational plan: How your business will function daily, including logistics, staffing, and management.

A well-thought-out business plan will serve as a road map, helping you stay focused and organized as you grow your business. An excellent and free resource worth exploring is the Small Business Administration website. Here, you will find a wealth of information on creating the perfect business plan.

Legal Structures for Drone Businesses

With a business plan in hand, you will want to decide on the best legal structure for your business.

Choosing the proper business structure is crucial for legal, tax, and liability reasons. Common structures include sole proprietorships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations.

An LLC is often a good choice for small businesses, as it offers liability protection and tax flexibility. However, the best structure for your business depends on your specific circumstances. Before making this decision, it is best to contact an attorney and tax professional.

You must outline your services and pricing structure to complete your business plan. Clearly defining your service offerings and pricing strategy will help you understand your break-even point.

How will you charge clients for your services? Will you charge by the hour, by the project, or offer package deals? These questions need to be answered before you open your doors.

Research your competitors’ pricing to ensure your rates are competitive while reflecting the value you provide. Offering tiered pricing packages can attract a wider range of clients. 

Financial planning is critical for sustaining and growing your business. Your financial projection should cover startup costs (drones, equipment, certifications, insurance), ongoing expenses (maintenance, software subscriptions, marketing), and revenue forecasts. Consider different scenarios to prepare for potential challenges and opportunities.

Regularly revising your financial projections based on actual performance will help you stay on track and make informed decisions. At a minimum, you should do this once a year.

Marketing Your Drone Business

The final portion of this step involves deciding on the marketing and sales strategies that will determine how effectively you can attract and retain clients.

Identify the channels you will use to promote your services, such as your website, social media, email marketing, and industry events. Develop a sales strategy that includes outreach to potential clients, networking, and leveraging referrals.

Building a strong brand presence and reputation will be key to your long-term success.

Navigating Essential Certifications and Licenses

If you want to make money flying a drone in the U.S., obtaining the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA is mandatory.

This certification ensures you understand regulations, airspace rules, and safety procedures crucial for drone operations. The process involves passing a knowledge test covering topics like weather effects, loading, performance, and emergency procedures. 

If you are unfamiliar with the exam material, you will need to study before taking it. Thankfully, there are many resources available to help you.

Drone pilot hopefuls can attend in-person training (the most expensive option) or purchase an online class from providers like Altitude University and the Pilot Institute. You can also find additional study materials on trusted sites like Sporty’s.

Additional certifications, depending on your niche, can also be valuable. For instance, a thermography certification is beneficial for those interested in thermal imaging, while certifications in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or photogrammetry can enhance services in mapping or surveying. These credentials boost your expertise and make your services more appealing to potential clients.

Selecting the Right Equipment for Your Drone Business

Choosing the best drones and other equipment for your business is crucial. Your selection should align with the services you plan to offer.

For instance, aerial photography and videography demand drones with high-quality cameras and stable flight capabilities, while surveying and mapping require precision GPS and detailed data capture. 

Consider payload capacity, flight time, and camera quality to ensure your drones meet your business needs. Investing in reliable, high-performance drones is key to delivering top-notch services.

If you need help deciding what drone to buy, contact the professionals at the online schools mentioned earlier. They will be more than happy to point you in the right direction. You can also contact the larger manufacturers, like Autel Robotics.

In addition to drones, investing in spare parts and accessories is necessary to maintain your equipment in top condition, minimizing downtime. Spare propellers, batteries, landing gear, and accessories like gimbals, ND filters, and lights for flying at night are essential. Having these on hand ensures you can respond promptly to client needs without delays.

Securing Your Drone Business with Insurance

We all hate spending money on insurance, but it is one of those things you will be glad you have if you ever need it.

I’ve been a commercial drone pilot for close to a decade, and the few times I needed to file an insurance claim more than made up for the monthly payments. 

Drone insurance is crucial for protecting your business from potential financial losses due to accidents, equipment damage, or liability claims. While it may not be legally required, having insurance, especially for high-value projects or in risky environments, is highly recommended.

In my experience, most people looking to hire a drone pilot will want at least $1 million in liability coverage.

Drone insurance can cover physical damage to equipment, third-party liability, and, in some cases, data loss. Liability coverage is the most important part of protecting your business in case of injury or property damage caused by your drone. 

To minimize risks, implement comprehensive risk management strategies, including regular drone maintenance, thorough preflight checks, and strict adherence to safety protocols. Keeping your team well-trained in emergency procedures and up to date on regulations is essential for mitigating risks.

Effective Online Presence and Marketing Strategies

Building a solid online presence is crucial in today’s digital age.

Create a professional website showcasing your services, portfolio, and client testimonials. Optimize your site for search engines to enhance visibility and maintain active social media profiles on platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook to connect with your audience and showcase your work.

Networking is another powerful tool for growing your business. Attend industry events, trade shows, and conferences to meet potential clients and partners. Joining local business groups and online forums related to your niche can also expand your network, leading to referrals and collaborations that benefit your business.

Content marketing is effective for establishing your expertise and attracting clients. Producing blog posts, videos, and case studies that highlight your knowledge and experience in the drone industry can engage your audience and demonstrate the value of your services.

Many of the large manufacturers, such as DJI, provide these case studies for free. Consistent content marketing helps build your brand and positions you as a thought leader in your niche.

On the sales side, pricing is a critical factor in attracting and retaining clients. Research your competitors’ pricing and offer competitive rates that reflect the quality of your services.

Consider offering different packages catering to various client needs and budgets, such as a basic package for aerial photography and a premium package that includes additional services like video editing or 3D mapping. Clear, transparent pricing builds trust with potential clients.

Ensuring Safe and Efficient Drone Operations

If you want your drone business to succeed, you must conduct all operations professionally and safely.

Developing flight plans and safety protocols is essential for ensuring the success of your operations. Each project should have a detailed flight plan outlining mission objectives, flight paths, and safety considerations, including identifying potential hazards and planning for contingencies.

Safety protocols, including preflight checks, communication procedures, and emergency response plans, should be established and followed without exception.

Adhering to FAA regulations is nonnegotiable for any drone business. Staying informed about the latest rules and guidelines, including airspace restrictions, altitude limits, and no-fly zones, is crucial. Online platforms like Aloft will help you do this. 

Ensure that all pilots on your team hold valid Part 107 certificates and follow FAA guidelines during every flight. Regularly review and update your operations to maintain compliance. Remember that recurrent training is mandatory every 24 months, so develop a system to track these deadlines.

Regular drone maintenance is vital for keeping your drones in optimal condition and preventing unexpected failures. Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedules, including battery checks, firmware updates, and motor inspections.

Promptly addressing any repairs will prevent compromising safety or project timelines. Maintaining detailed records will help track the performance and lifespan of your equipment.

As your business grows, hiring additional pilots or support staff may become necessary. Building a robust and well-trained team is essential for scaling your operations and delivering consistent, high-quality services.

Ongoing training ensures your team stays updated with industry developments, enabling them to handle complex projects and exceed client expectations.

Scaling and Expanding Your Drone Business

Once your business is established, consider expanding your services.

Starting with aerial photography, you could eventually offer additional services like drone-based mapping, thermal imaging, or even use your drone to help your local search and rescue team. Exploring new markets and industries can open up new revenue streams.

Partnerships and collaborations can also expand your reach and capabilities. Continuously investing in technology and equipment ensures you stay ahead of the competition and meet the evolving needs of your clients.

Building a Successful Drone Business

Starting a drone business can be highly rewarding with the right approach.

Conduct thorough market research, obtain necessary certifications, build a reliable drone fleet, and implement effective marketing and operational strategies to position yourself for success in this growing industry. Continuous learning, adaptation, and a focus on customer satisfaction are key to long-term success.

Take the first step today and start building your profitable drone business.

FAQs

Can a drone business be profitable?

Yes. Many people make a comfortable living with a drone service business. The key is to start a drone business using the steps we have discussed.

How much does it cost to start a drone business?

It depends on how specialized a niche you want to serve. In general, the more specialized the work, the more expensive the drone. You can start a drone business for less than $3,000 or spend hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on what services you plan to offer.

Can I start my own drone business?

Yes. It is very easy to start your own drone business.

How much money can I make with a drone?

It depends on many factors. A good range to consider for a full-time commercial drone pilot is between $40,000 and $100,000 per year.

The post How to Launch and Grow a Profitable Drone Business appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The mission lifted off October 14 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Roughly an hour later, the spacecraft separated from its launch vehicle, embarking on a cruise through the inner solar system. A pair of gravity assists will ultimately slingshot it to Jupiter. The spacecraft will travel some 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) over the next 5½ years and reach the Jupiter system in 2030.

Europa Clipper’s launch was originally scheduled for October 10, but that was delayed by Hurricane Milton. The craft rode out the hurricane’s destructive trek across Florida the night of October 9-10 safely ensconced in a hangar. After a damage assessment and recovery team surveyed the damage, Kennedy Space Center was declared safe and open, with only minor damage.

Enigmatic Europa

One of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons, Europa has long fascinated scientists.

Some 90 percent the size of our own moon, the satellite is believed to host a global ocean of liquid saltwater twice the volume Earth’s oceans but locked beneath a water-ice crust some 2 to 20 miles (3 to 30 kilometers) thick. Not only that, the moon is heated through tidal flexing as it orbits Jupiter on an elliptical path, and also contains the chemical building blocks of life as we know it. 

• READ MORE:  NASA Awaits ‘All-Clear’ for Mission to Search for Life on Jupiter’s Moon

All these factors combine to create a compelling world where Earth-like life might find a way. In fact, when people think of the potentially habitable places within our solar system, Europa likely tops the list. 

“Europa Clipper is not specifically a life-search mission. [Instead], we’re going to understand the potential habitability of Europa,” said Europa Clipper project scientist Robert Pappalardo in a NASA video.

The mission will use nine instruments to study the moon’s interior and exterior, as well as the environment in which it sits, to learn about the ice shell and the ocean it hides, as well as the composition of the moon and whether it is geologically active.

A Dedicated Mission

Once it launches, Europa Clipper will complete a triad of Jupiter missions currently in action, joining NASA’s Juno, which has been orbiting Jupiter since July 2016, and ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), which launched in April 2023 and is also on its way to the gas giant. In fact, Europa Clipper, currently scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in April 2030, will beat JUICE to its destination by about a year thanks to differing trajectories.

But why send Europa Clipper at all, if Juno is already in orbit and JUICE is on its way? 

Juno is dedicated to studying Jupiter itself, although it’s certainly sent back some stunning imagery of the moons as well. Additionally, Juno’s mission is coming to a close, planned to end in September 2025. And after JUICE arrives in 2031, it will complete just two flybys of Europa in July 2032, before move on to concentrate the bulk of its mission on Ganymede and Callisto. Like Europa, these larger moons also presumably host liquid subsurface oceans, though farther beneath their own icy crusts. 

“For the first time ever, we’re sending a spacecraft completely dedicated to studying this moon,” said Tracy Drain, Europa Clipper’s lead flight system systems engineer. 

Following its launch, Europa Clipper’s journey will take it past Mars (2025) and Earth (2026) for gravity assists before reaching the Jupiter system. Once there, it will use the Galilean moons to slow and shape its orbit, aiming to enter resonance with Europa’s orbit and make its first flyby of the eponymous moon in early 2031. Shortly after, in May that year, the craft will begin its science campaign, focusing first on the anti-Jupiter side of the moon (the side of Europa facing away from Jupiter). 

• READ MORE: NASA Reveals Messages to Be Carried to Jupiter on Europa Clipper Orbiter

A second science campaign, which will send the craft past the Jupiter-facing side of the moon, will begin in May 2033. In all, Europa Clipper will make 49 Europa flybys, each passing over different terrain as it builds up a nearly complete global map of the surface. At its closest, it will skim just 16 miles (25 km) above the surface.

Throughout these campaigns, the spacecraft will plunge into one of the worst environments imaginable, bathed by the intense radiation that surrounds Jupiter. The massive planet supports an extensive magnetosphere—the region of space where its magnetic field dominates. Charged particles from both the Sun and Jupiter itself, as well as from the highly volcanic moon Io, are trapped by the planet’s powerful magnetic field and generate huge, intense radiation belts—belts that encompass Io, Europa, and Ganymede, with the two innermost moons orbiting in the worst of it. 

While there is no avoiding this environment if one wants to study Europa—and indeed, scientists think this unique environment has actively shaped Europa into the world we see today—the mission is taking precautions. First, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter rather than Europa, meaning it will fly through—but not continually sit within—the worst of the radiation. Nonetheless, according to NASA, during each flyby, Europa Clipper will experience a dose of radiation equivalent to 1 million chest X-rays.

That’s why Europa Clipper is also taking a design note from Juno: The craft’s computer and sensitive electronics are locked within a sealed central vault, whose aluminum-zinc walls are some one-third inch (9.2 millimeters) thick. These walls will keep out enough of the punishing, fast-moving particle radiation to ensure the electronics within experience only “acceptable” levels of radiation and can function throughout the mission duration, according to NASA. 

In May, however, engineers brought up concerns regarding the spacecraft’s transistors and their ability to withstand the high-radiation environment they were traveling to. It appeared that the parts might be less resistant to radiation than expected, and some would fail prematurely. However, additional testing ultimately bore out that the transistors would support the intended mission duration. 

Additional Specs

Europa Clipper is the largest NASA spacecraft ever built for a planetary mission. It weighs some 13,000 pounds (5,900 kilograms) and, with its two wide, winglike solar arrays extended, spans more than 100 feet (30.5 meters)—roughly the length of a basketball court.

The mission carries visible-light and infrared cameras, as well as ultraviolet and infrared spectrometers to measure composition. Its magnetometer and plasma instrument will measure the moon’s magnetic field (generated by its motion through Jupiter’s changing magnetic field). These observations will confirm the presence of a subsurface ocean, as well as measure its salinity, depth, and even the thickness of the ice shell above it. A radar instrument will also help map the surface, determine the thickness of the icy crust, and even pick up subsurface liquid to confirm the presence and depth of the ocean.

Gravity science experiments will allow astronomers to evaluate how Europa Clipper’s flight path changes as it is influenced by the moon’s gravitational environment, which changes as it orbits Jupiter. This will, in turn, reveal how much the moon’s shape changes due to tidal forces—a factor inherently tied to its internal structure. 

Finally, the craft’s mass spectrometer and surface dust analyzer will explore the environment around the moon. In particular, they will analyze material vented by geysers, as well as surface ice particles knocked into space by micrometeorites. By studying the chemistry of Europa’s surface ice and subsurface water directly, scientists will be able to determine whether its ocean could indeed be hospitable to life. 

Answers Ahead

“All these worlds are yours—except Europa. Attempt no landing there,” reads the radio message beamed to Earth at the end of Arthur C. Clarke’s novel 2010: Odyssey Two.

Although fueled by the presence of fictitious plantlike creatures beneath Europa’s surface, the sentiment behind the message rings true in real life. After a little less than a year and a half of science, Europa Clipper will end its mission in September 2034 with a “deorbit” into its fellow Galilean moon, Ganymede. 

But Ganymede, like Europa, also harbors a subsurface ocean. So, why is it being targeted for the crash?

According to the ESA, whose JUICE mission will also end by impacting Ganymede: “Icy moon Europa is the only object that is considered to have the potential for harboring life, and that therefore needs to be protected.…But as it stands, planetary protection rules allow a crash onto Ganymede, because there are no indications that the deep subsurface ocean on Ganymede can be in contact with the icy surface. Crashing into Europa would not be allowed because Europa’s subsurface oceans are suspected to be less deep and therefore contamination from the surface to the ocean would in theory be possible.”

Despite the mission’s brevity, Europa Clipper has the potential to unlock one of the most mysterious and enticing worlds in our solar system. And it will certainly bring us one step—or perhaps several steps—closer to answering the question of whether Earth is the only solar system world hospitable to life.

“This mission has been a long time coming, and we’re so excited about what we’re going to see when we get there,” said Pappalardo.

This story was updated October 15 to include information about Europa Clipper’s launch and the status of recovery efforts at Kennedy Space Center.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Astronomy.

The post NASA’s Europa Clipper Sets Sail for Jupiter appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

But Isaacman—now a SpaceX “frequent flier” after also taking part in 2021’s Inspiration4 mission, the first all-civilian spaceflight—is just getting started.

“If we actually believe in the future that SpaceX is trying to create—where tens of thousands of people can be in space, on the moon, walking around on Mars—these kinds of capabilities have to exist within commercial industry,” Isaacman told FLYING at the 2024 UP.Summit.

Polaris Dawn was the first of three missions under Isaacman’s Polaris Program. The final mission, which does not yet have a target date, is expected to be the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s Starship: the most powerful rocket ever built and the vehicle CEO Elon Musk believes will help humans colonize Mars.

Isaacman and crewmates Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, the first SpaceX employees to actually fly to space, sat down with FLYING for a mission debrief to highlight their favorite moments from Polaris Dawn—and talk about what comes next.

No Days Off

From the moment they lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, secured in a SpaceX Dragon capsule strapped to a Falcon 9 rocket, the Polaris Dawn crew got to work.

On the first day of the mission, for example, the crew reached an orbital apogee of 870 miles—three times higher than the International Space Station and the farthest humans have traveled from Earth since the Apollo era. Gillis and Menon now share the record for the furthest distance traveled from Earth by a woman.

At that altitude, the crew passed through the Van Allen radiation belts, a treacherous environment for humans. It conducted research that will help scientists better understand how to protect astronauts flying through that region.

“There’s micrometeoroid and debris that’s out there. A little millimeter piece of aluminum traveling at 8 kilometers a second will shred just about everything,” Isaacman said during a panel discussion at UP.Summit. “It’s a scary prospect. But we’ve got to travel through that if we’re going to get to the moon and Mars.”

Isaacman’s favorite moment of the mission, however, was the spacewalk he and Gillis performed. It was the first time civilian astronauts ventured outside a spacecraft. And because the Dragon capsule lacks an airlock, it was also the first time four astronauts were simultaneously exposed to the vacuum of space.

“That moment when Jared opened the hatch and there was the black beauty of space outside the hatch was a moment full of sensation, full of the awe that that evoked, as well as a cold rushing over your body,” Menon said. “It’s a full body experience.”

Traveling at 17,500 mph at an orbital altitude north of 450 miles, the astronauts were protected by SpaceX’s extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits, which were specially designed for Polaris Dawn. The goal of the spacewalk was to perform mobility testing on the suits—a relatively simple objective compared to previous EVAs.

“The difference is—and this is so important—is all of those had the entire weight and resources of world superpowers behind them,” Isaacman said.

NASA’s budget peaked in the 1960s, when it was about 4.5 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

For Gillis, a classically trained violinist, the highlight was her on-orbit performance of “Rey’s Theme” from the Star Wars franchise. Incredibly, Gillis said she had no prior practice playing in microgravity, where pushing on the violin’s fingerboard can move the entire instrument. She used a quarter-sized bow for greater control.

“It was three crewmembers in front of me with this tangle of cables, and the chaos of them trying to get the right angle as they’re floating away, and I’m floating away,” Gillis said. “It was just this total joy to try and record that.”

The performance, organized in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and El Sistema USA, was a charitable effort to raise awareness and funding for cancer research and access to music education. But it was also a demonstration of SpaceX’s Starlink communications system. A Starlink module on Dragon used a beam of light to transmit the footage to another satellite while both were moving at orbital speeds.

How They Did It

Polaris Dawn was a private astronaut mission, meaning SpaceX was responsible for preparing the crew. Scott “Kidd” Poteet, the fourth crewmember and a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot of two decades, said the training was more intense than anything he has ever experienced.

Gillis, a SpaceX astronaut trainer, said that while the crewmembers brought plenty of experience, combining their strengths was a learning curve. Early on, for example, they struggled through teamwork exercises in a simulator.

“We might have all of this expertise across the four of us, but we utterly failed that sim,” Gillis said. “Just because you have your own expertise doesn’t mean you are yet able to work in a team well.”

Added Menon: “It is really, really neat to see how the team develops together, how they learn to work together, and how they prepare for a mission. And it was really confidence inspiring, and really, to me, a very beautiful part of the development process getting us to launch.”

Isaacman said the training for Polaris Dawn was as special as the mission itself. The astronauts’ preparations took them scuba diving and skydiving, into the cockpit of fighter jets, and even to the top of Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador. Each day was a new adventure.

“You came in one day and this development suit had a handful of different rotators or joints in it that we were testing out,” Isaacman said, “and then we come back the next week and it would be entirely different.”

In just two and a half years, SpaceX trained the crew, modified Dragon, and developed the EVA suits for Polaris Dawn. To put that into perspective, Menon’s husband, Anil Menon, was selected by NASA for an astronaut mission four days before Menon was picked by SpaceX—but she flew first.

Why It Matters

The technology and capabilities demonstrated during Polaris Dawn could alter human spaceflight as we know it.

The spacewalk, for example, was more than a flashy achievement. NASA’s current EVA spacesuits were designed four decades ago, and suit maintenance has forced the agency to postpone several spacewalks in recent months. Earlier this year, NASA and Collins Aerospace “mutually agreed” to end a $100 million contract that would see Collins deliver new suits by 2026.

NASA could spend billions of dollars on a suit redesign. SpaceX’s EVA suit, meanwhile, is designed to be manufactured at scale for thousands of people to build and explore on Mars, Isaacman said. The suit was designed for Polaris Dawn specifically, “but just like a lot of things that SpaceX works on, the utility is quite broad,” he said, implying that other astronauts will one day wear it.

The Starlink communications system showcased during the mission, meanwhile, could be a tool to ease demand on NASA’s Deep Space Network: an array of giant radio antennas that supports communications in the final frontier.

“We’re even hearing now, just even alleviating the demand over the [U.S. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System] and ground stations…as being a potential communication path to lunar missions, or potentially even Mars,” Isaacman said.

The altitude record, spacewalk, and symphony performance grabbed most of the Polaris Dawn headlines. But in between those objectives, the crew conducted an array of experiments to study the health of astronauts on long-duration spaceflight.

“There’s a lot of problems we have to solve if we’re going to have thousands of people living and working in space for really long periods of time and going really far from Earth,” said Menon.

For example, crewmembers stuck a device called an endoscope down their noses to image their airways, the first time that has been accomplished in space. They also researched spaceflight associated neuro ocular syndrome (SANS), a condition developed in microgravity that can impair astronauts’ vision. Other experiments focused on motion sickness, which according to Menon affects about 6 in 10 people when they first reach space.

“If you have 100 people in a spacecraft going up at the same time, and 60 of them are vomiting, that’s a big problem,” she said.

Data from these experiments will be entered into a database that is accessible to the wider space community, allowing non-SpaceX researchers to learn for years to come.

“If we want to have a future among the stars, if we want to have many people living and working there, we need these solutions,” Gillis said. “We need a new communication system. We need EVA suits so people can actually go and explore the surface of Mars. We need to understand the health implications so by the time we get there, they haven’t lost their vision and they aren’t sick.”

The crew also spent plenty of time studying problems back on Earth.

Isaacman’s Inspiration4 crewmate, St. Jude physician assistant Hayley Arceneaux, became the first human to fly to space with a prosthesis after recovering from childhood bone cancer. That mission raised more than a quarter of a billion dollars for the charity, which signed on as a partner for Polaris Dawn.

“You’ll continue to see [St. Jude] play a huge part in all of our missions until their work is done,” Isaacman said.

The astronauts traveled the world visiting hospitals and meeting children, medical professionals, and researchers who helped inform some of their experiments. They installed Starlink connections at many facilities, providing access to the Internet and education. The work was part of St. Jude’s effort to create cancer treatment programs, educate oncologists, and provide access to safe chemotherapy treatment worldwide.

“Right now, depending on where you’re born, you either have an 80 percent chance of survival, or you have a 20 percent chance if you’re not born in the U.S.,” Gillis said. “So [St. Jude has] pioneered extraordinary outcomes for children. But if you aren’t born here, you don’t benefit from that.”

One of the mission’s most special moments was Menon’s on-orbit reading of a children’s book she authored, Kisses from Space, to her two children and St. Jude patients. Proceeds from the book will go to St. Jude, and the charity will auction off the copy that traveled to space.

“It was ultimately the story of the power of love to overcome any distance, and I think, hopefully, sharing space but also sharing human connection and the power of that through this space story,” Menon said. “Reaching kids around the world was a powerful moment.”

What’s Next?

Isaacman said the Polaris Dawn crew still has a few weeks of debriefing, and he has yet to fully turn his sights to the next Polaris mission.

“We are still very on-mission,” he said. “We really need to understand everything we got right and could have done better on this one, things we got wrong and certainly could improve upon, before you even get to what’s in the realm of possibility for Mission Two.”

Isaacman couldn’t say much about the next mission. But some time next year, he said, the Polaris team will come together to determine what they can pull off.

For example, SpaceX could improve its EVA suit with added mobility, a portable life support system, or increased pressure, which would eliminate the “prebreathe” process Polaris astronauts used to remove nitrogen from their bodies before the EVA. Chances are the next mission will feature another spacewalk.

“It would be such a travesty if [SpaceX] didn’t take what they learned and take another giant leap in a good direction,” Isaacman said. “So I would fully expect EVAs are on the horizon for the next go.”

Mission Two will set the stage for the final Polaris mission, which is expected to be the debut crewed flight of SpaceX’s Starship. Both Starship and the Super Heavy booster are designed to be fully reusable, and SpaceX plans to fly them hundreds of times before adding crew. Musk in September said the company could launch uncrewed Starships to Mars within two years.

If SpaceX can successfully validate Starship, it could usher in a new era of civilian spaceflight. Gillis and Menon, for example, were the first two SpaceX employees to reach the final frontier, but they may not be the last.

“If you have a propulsion engineer, you have the interior engineer, the suit engineer on that spaceship, it makes a lot of sense to bring the expertise with you when you’re going to Mars,” Menon said. “I don’t think I ever thought it would happen this soon—and I definitely didn’t think it would be me.”

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In a rare news release about the hyper-secret mission of the X-37B, the Space Force said it will employ aerobraking to rapidly change orbits using the drag of the atmosphere and only a little fuel. The spaceplane needs to get closer to Earth to jettison equipment it no longer needs. If it dumped the space junk at higher orbits, it would remain there for years, but dropping closer to the planet assures speedy and fiery reentry.

• READ MORE: U.S. Space Force’s Secret Robot Spaceplane Could Be Headed to Deep Orbit

Presumably the maneuver will have other uses beyond taking out the garbage, and the Space Force seems pretty excited about it.

“This first-of-a-kind maneuver from the X-37B is an incredibly important milestone for the United States Space Force as we seek to expand our aptitude and ability to perform in this challenging domain,” said chief of space operations General Chance Saltzman. “The success is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the team.”

The X-37B is testing “Space Domain Awareness technologies” on its seventh mission.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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