Aerial Vehicle Operator (AVO) a.k.a. Drone Operators Requirements

[Dontcallmegump]

Tangentially related; how does the landscape look (informed conjecture to wild speculation) for how these UAV units will be staffed at the div-O, DH, and front office level? Without commissioned pilots/operators who in a manned squadron also have these ground jobs, who fills those billets?

 

[wink]

Tangentially related; how does the landscape look (informed conjecture to wild speculation) for how these UAV units will be staffed at the div-O, DH, and front office level? Without commissioned pilots/operators who in a manned squadron also have these ground jobs, who fills those billets?

Why not as VUP-19 is now?

 

[Dontcallmegump]

Why not as VUP-19 is now?

I don't know how that is... care to share, or pass on required reading?

 

[wink]

I don't know how that is... care to share, or pass on required reading?

What with dets, I don't know the specifics. I do know my nephew is a VP NFO DH in VUP-19. I suspect it is organized much like any VP squadron. I am sure some VP dude could pull put down his inflight meal and help us out.

 

[Dontcallmegump]

What with dets, I don't know the specifics. I do know my nephew is a VP NFO DH in VUP-19. I suspect it is organized much like any VP squadron. I am sure some VP dude could pull put down his inflight meal and help us out.

My question, for the forum at large, is when the AVO program matures and isn't relying on traditionally trained NAs and NFOs for the operating (if that's even how it's working now) and the AVOs are the majority of those operators, how will those officers needed for the staff jobs be brought in or brought up? Is there even a answer for that?

tl;dr don't know shit, wanna know something, might have a dog in the race

 

[Brett327]

My question, for the forum at large, is when the AVO program matures and isn't relying on traditionally trained NAs and NFOs for the operating (if that's even how it's working now) and the AVOs are the majority of those operators, how will those officers needed for the staff jobs be brought in or brought up? Is there even a answer for that?

tl;dr don't know shit, wanna know something, might have a dog in the race

Probably unknown at this point. Are you asking about career progression for AVOs? That will be something for the Type Wing leadership and PERS to figure out. AFAIK, the MQ-25 is going to live w/ the VAW folks.

Spit balling here, but even odds this get run/mismanaged just like the flying CWO program where they decide in three years that it's not working out as planned and they tell all the AVOs to get degrees and give them URL commissions.

 

[taxi1]

Spit balling here, but even odds this get run/mismanaged just like the flying CWO program where they decide in three years that it's not working out as planned and they tell all the AVOs to get degrees and give them URL commissions.

I'd bet that too.

If you're operating a platform that big up in the atmosphere with the rest of the planes, you pretty much need to know everything you'd know if you sitting in it, and have a similar level of maturity about operating it.

 

[Jacksa71]

Do you think that they will allows people with glasses? I know the aviation physical exam for SNA and NFO as a certain criteria for eye sight but for flying drones could be totally different.

 

[kotn]

I think it's a crap shoot joining a newly forming community. You might ride a promotion and billet wave through your career and retire, or you might be stuck in a spot where the powers that be really don't know what to do with you, so you either find a new job or simply go away.

From some of the briefings that I have gotten, the MQ-25 is a cool airplane with some capabilities that, assuming the Navy will use them, can make it a viable weapons system and value added (beyond a recovery tanker) for the CSG.


If the RPA/UAS community is what you want to do career-wise, I'd recommend to go either to the USAF or the ANG. It's a well established community with multiple TMS that supports a lot of different types of units- to include the CSG.

Thank you all for the responses. As a civilian applying I am soaking it all in.

I will go back to lurking in the background, but I wanted to mention I recently chatted to a Marine UAV Officer about this position. His prediction was that the Navy Warrant AVOs will be misunderstood, misutilized, underappreciated, and looked at by others as just taking up valuable space on an aircraft carrier. Also that pilots will look at AVOs as people out to take their jobs. Any thoughts on this outlook?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Do you think that they will allows allow people with glasses? I know the aviation physical exam for SNA and NFO as a have certain criteria for eye sight but for flying drones it could be totally different.

Please tell me you typed this on your phone.

 

[Swanee]

Thank you all for the responses. As a civilian applying I am soaking it all in.

I will go back to lurking in the background, but I wanted to mention I recently chatted to a Marine UAV Officer about this position. His prediction was that the Navy Warrant AVOs will be misunderstood, misutilized, underappreciated, and looked at by others as just taking up valuable space on an aircraft carrier. Also that pilots will look at AVOs as people out to take their jobs. Any thoughts on this outlook?

I was a Marine UAV Officer who left and joined the ANG.


I have a lot of opinions on your question- but it will really come down to the leadership in the airwing. If CAG and the Squadron Commanders are on board, everyone else will follow.

Those who are selected to be the first MQ-25 pilots need to be rockstars and they need to understand their role in each job and where they fit into the big picture.

 

[Griz882]

Please tell me you typed this on your phone.

Do you correct every motivational statement from your applicants? ?

 

[Griz882]

Kind of a side story here...concerning UAVs. A few days ago at the local coffee shop I saw a fellow wearing a G1 with a patch from a squadron called HUQ-1. Social distancing didn't allow me to get more obtrusive, but, I did a little research to find it really was a thing. There isn't much information out there. How long did it last? What did they operate?

Just curious. Amy information will be welcome.

 

[Swanee]

I'd bet that too.

If you're operating a platform that big up in the atmosphere with the rest of the planes, you pretty much need to know everything you'd know if you sitting in it, and have a similar level of maturity about operating it.

This is my argument for everyone coming to the UAV/RPA world to go to API and Pilot primary, then split off to RPA/UAV intermediate/advanced. Everyone should start at the same place in what really is the beginning of an Aircraft Commander syllabus.

I wouldn't make it a selection point after primary for manned guys (unless they wanted it) and I'd bring them in as RPA/UAV contracts (like Pilot and NFO are now).

 

[Gatordev]

HUQ-1. Social distancing didn't allow me to get more obtrusive, but, I did a little research to find it really was a thing. There isn't much information out there. How long did it last? What did they operate?

I think it lasted for about 4.7 days. It was supposed to be the FireScout place to be. Then it wasn't. The OIC (I can't remember if he was selected as a CO) was an IP when i was a CAT 1 and I then ran into him out in SD later when I was tangentially doing some FS stuff and he had just taken the job. He got the HUQ-1 job, started to get stuff rolling, and then had the rug pulled out from him. I'm sure it was frustrating.