Where could drones take you?

There is no single correct path. People reach these careers through work, certificates, community college, university, the military, or starting a business, and many switch routes along the way.

1. Stage 1

   What you can do now

   • Learn how the flight controller thinks
   • Trace a stick command through the Pixhawk to the motors in AeroNatomy (opens in a new tab)
   • Explore autonomous missions in Drone Discovery

2. Stage 2

   High-school preparation

   • Computer science (Python, Java)
   • Algebra II → precalculus/calculus
   • Physics
   • Robotics club

3. Stage 3

   Skills to build

   • Python
   • C++ basics
   • Git
   • Using simulators (SITL)
   • Reading sensor data
   • Control loops (PID)

4. Stage 4

   Certifications

   • FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (minimum age 16)
   • Programming certificates (optional)
   • Cloud/AI certificates later

5. Stage 5

   Portfolio projects

   • A Python script that reads flight logs and plots altitude
   • A simulated autonomous mission (ArduPilot SITL)
   • A GitHub repo with documented code

6. Stage 6

   After high school: choose a route

   UniversityCommunity collegeStraight to work

   • University

     Computer science, computer engineering or robotics degrees lead to autonomy roles.

     e.g. Computer science · Robotics engineering

   • Community college

     Start with transfer-ready CS courses at lower cost.

     e.g. CS transfer degrees

   • Straight to work

     Open-source contributions and projects can open doors to junior roles.

     e.g. ArduPilot / PX4 community contributions

   Compare programs in Opportunity Radar

7. Stage 7

   Possible entry-level positions

   • Junior software developer
   • Test/QA engineer
   • Flight test data analyst

8. Stage 8

   Long-term careers

   • Autonomy engineer
   • Robotics software engineer
   • Computer vision engineer
   • Embedded systems engineer