Droneista

Droneista is a term used in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese to describe a person who operates a drone, i.e., an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A droneista may work professionally or as a hobbyist. Professional droneistas perform tasks such as aerial photography and videography, mapping and surveying, inspection of buildings and infrastructure, agricultural monitoring, and search-and-rescue operations. The exact duties vary by country and jurisdiction, reflecting local aviation laws and industry practices.

Training and regulation: In many countries, drone pilots must register the aircraft and obtain a licence or certificate to operate commercially, and sometimes for recreational flights above certain risk levels. Operators are typically required to keep the drone within visual line of sight, follow altitude limits, respect restricted airspace, and comply with privacy and safety rules. More complex operations may require waivers for beyond-visual-line-of-sight, night flights, or proximity to airports.

Equipment and skills: A droneista must understand flight dynamics, weather, battery management and maintenance. They select platforms and payloads such as cameras, multispectral or thermal sensors, and, if needed, lidar. Data collection is followed by processing and analysis for the intended application. Professional droneistas coordinate with clients, assess risks, and ensure compliance with regulations and ethical standards.