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Drone Pilot salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a drone pilot is $80,600 per annum, before tax, up $16,700 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay moves with the sector and the arrangement: mining, construction and utility inspection work usually pays more than real estate photography or small farm jobs, and remote or fly-in fly-out rosters add site allowances on top.
- Sole operators set their own rates but carry the aircraft, insurance, repairs and cancelled days themselves, so the headline rate for a single inspection job says less than a year of steady work does.
The median salary rose by $16,700 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than drone pilot
The largest typical pay rise is $54,600 a year, moving into ROV Pilot.
- ROV Pilot+$54,600/yr
- Non-destructive Testing Technician+$20,800/yr
- Aerodrome Reporting Officer+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher drone pilot salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time drone pilot salary is $80,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Operations management and Field inspection and testing tend to command a premium over general drone pilot experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. ROV Pilot pays a typical $54,600 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Drone Pilot salary questions
How much do drone pilots earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a drone pilot is $80,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is drone pilot pay rising or falling?
The median drone pilot salary is up $16,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than drone pilot?
ROV Pilot pays a typical $54,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to drone pilot.
Related salaries
- ROV Pilot salary
- Aerodrome Reporting Officer salary
- Non-destructive Testing Technician salary
- Transport Operations Inspector salary
- Airport Ground Crew salary
- Train Examiner salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.