Job titles of the future: Delivery drone air traffic controller
The article profiles a remote pilot in command (RPIC) who manages drone traffic for delivery services in Texas. It explains how new air traffic management systems allow autonomous drones to operate safely in shared airspace.
Why it matters
The rise of commercial drone delivery necessitates new job roles and sophisticated traffic management infrastructure to integrate unmanned aircraft into urban environments.
Trevor Wischnewsky is making sure that the sky stays organized as we enter the age of food delivery by drone.
The moment Trevor Wischnewsky heard that drones were delivering pizza and sushi around his Texas neighborhood, his mind was made up. “It was super fascinating,” he says. “I just immediately wanted to be a part of it.” Wischnewsky is now an RPIC, or “remote pilot in command,” at a company called FlyTrex. An RPIC is like an air traffic controller. But instead of airplanes, this new class of aviators tend to fleets of hexacopter drones that ferry cargo to homes and businesses within a three-mile radius. Not only does he ensure the safe passage of FlyTrex’s parcels, but Wischnewsky coordinates traffic with a growing swarm of delivery drones dotting the skies over Dallas from competitors like Zipline, Amazon, and Alphabet’s Wing. Here’s what it takes to land the gig.
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