> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://stem-docs.intellectualpoint.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Careers in drones

> Explore the fast-growing world of drone jobs and the skills that get you there - many of which you just practiced.

## Drones are a real career

The skills you built this week - flying, coding, and problem-solving - aren't just fun. They're the foundation of one of the fastest-growing tech fields in the world. Drones touch dozens of industries, and every one needs people who understand them.

## Where the jobs are

<Frame caption="The map of drone careers - and there's room for many more">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/intellectualpoint/eW7U9shBQKKM3XX9/images/drones/drone-careers-map.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=eW7U9shBQKKM3XX9&q=85&s=ce00ad1b3e6a1e97d235e8140be57ba3" alt="Map of drone career paths across industries" width="1536" height="1024" data-path="images/drones/drone-careers-map.png" />
</Frame>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Commercial drone pilot" icon="plane">
    Fly drones for film, real estate, inspections, and events. In the US this needs an FAA **Part 107** certificate.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Drone software developer" icon="code">
    Write the programs that fly drones automatically and plan their missions - exactly the kind of coding you did this week.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mapping / GIS specialist" icon="map">
    Turn drone imagery into 3D maps and surveys for construction, farming, and land management.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Agriculture technologist" icon="sprout">
    Use drones to monitor crops, plan irrigation, and boost harvests on modern farms.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Inspection specialist" icon="building">
    Inspect bridges, towers, and power lines by drone instead of by climbing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Search & rescue / public safety" icon="life-buoy">
    Operate drones for fire, police, and rescue teams to find people and assess danger safely.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## The skills that matter

Notice how much of this week maps directly to real job skills:

<Frame caption="The bridge from camp skills to career skills - you're already on it">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/intellectualpoint/PocgpVBYuYokR5M6/images/drones/skills-to-jobs.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PocgpVBYuYokR5M6&q=85&s=f744230c5ae2bee6c14a8e405c4ffa8f" alt="Bridge diagram linking camp skills to real-world job skills" width="1536" height="1024" data-path="images/drones/skills-to-jobs.png" />
</Frame>

| What you did this week                 | Real-world skill                    |
| -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Flew the drone by hand                 | Piloting and situational awareness  |
| Wrote block and JavaScript programs    | Software and computational thinking |
| Used loops, variables, and if-then     | Programming fundamentals            |
| Flew first-person view with the camera | Drone operation and cinematography  |
| Debugged and tuned your programs       | Problem-solving and iteration       |
| Built a capstone                       | Project planning and communication  |

<Info>
  The drone industry is projected to be worth tens of billions of dollars and employ hundreds of thousands of people. Demand for people who can both fly **and** code drones is especially high.
</Info>

## How to keep going

<Steps>
  <Step title="Keep coding" icon="code">
    The blocks and JavaScript you used lead straight into Python, app development, and game design.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Keep flying" icon="plane">
    Practice your piloting and try new missions. If you ever fly bigger drones outdoors, learn the rules first.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build projects" icon="hammer">
    Keep making things - drones, games, apps. A portfolio of projects opens doors.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get certified" icon="award">
    When you're old enough, the FAA Part 107 certificate is the standard credential for commercial drone work in the US.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  The most valuable people in tech combine skills. A pilot who can code, or a programmer who understands hardware, is rare and in demand. This week you started becoming exactly that.
</Tip>

<Check>
  You can name several drone careers and explain how the skills you practiced this week connect to real jobs.
</Check>