Drone Pilot

At Nova Sky Stories, we empower artists and producers to bring awe and wonder to live audiences around the world. As the global leader in drone entertainment, we’ve been redefining live shows for over a decade—merging cutting-edge drone technology with imaginative artistry.

We are seeking a skilled Person Manipulating the Controls (PMTC) to operate our large-scale drone light show systems under the authority of a designated Pilot in Command (PIC). The PMTC is the hands-on flight operator responsible for executing launches, monitoring the drone fleet in real time, and responding to aircraft and system behaviour throughout the show.

This role sits at the intersection of aviation, robotics, and live entertainment, supporting synchronized fleets of hundreds to thousands of aircraft at some of the world’s most high-profile events.

As a PMTC, you will be responsible for:

• Serving as a pilot responsible for flying shows and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations, guidelines, and best practices.
• Prioritising the safety of spectators, crew members, and surrounding airspace.
• Operating Nova’s drone fleet during live shows as the Person Manipulating the Controls.
• Executing launches, holds, aborts, and recoveries under the direction of the PIC.
• Monitoring aircraft health, telemetry, GNSS, and communications during flight.
• Operating Nova’s ground control systems, networking, and flight software.
• Loading, verifying, and executing flight plans and show content.
• Responding in real time to system alerts, aircraft faults, or degraded conditions.
• Helping lead load-in and load-out of the entire airfield & pilot system setup.
• Conducting pre-flight checks on drones, batteries, ground infrastructure, and control systems.
• Assisting with post-flight inspections, logging, and maintenance reporting.
• Coordinating closely with ground crew, technical staff, and event organisers to communicate flight plans, timing cues, and any other operational considerations prior, during, and after shows.
• Supplying continuous feedback and evaluation of performance metrics to identify areas of improvement and optimisation.
• Flying large scale drone light shows: 200-2000 drone light shows using our system.
• Assisting with drone repairs.

Required Qualifications:

• Proficient in interpreting several incoming streams of data and managing time-critical activities.
• Able to stay focused and decisive during high-pressure live operations.
• Basic understanding of engineering/electronics/software engineering to perform basic maintenance and troubleshooting on drones.
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proactive communication is highly valued.

It’s a plus if you have:

• Experience flying large fleets or synchronized UAS systems.
• Background in aviation, robotics, or live technical production.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks (FAA, EASA, GCAA, etc.).
• Experience working in touring or event-based operations.
• Willingness to travel up to several weekends per month, to various states/countries, and remain there for 2-3 nights and support a show.
• Willingness to lift loads up to 20kg/44lb, work outdoors, and set up equipment.

What Defines You:

• Highly reliable, organized, and execution-focused.
• Calm under pressure and effective in an onsite operating environment.
• A clear, proactive communicator who escalates issues early and appropriately.
• Team-oriented, humble, and eager to learn.
• Motivated by operational excellence, consistency, and continuous improvement.
• Interested in growing into increased production ownership over time.

If you’re ready to play a key role in supporting the operational backbone of a company redefining storytelling in the sky, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now to help keep Nova Sky Stories flying high.