Drone Light Show Pilot

Location: Hybrid / Alexandria, VA - Remote
Drone Pilot
Reports to: Director of Operations
Pixis Drones crafts awe-inspiring aerial experiences by marrying artistry, engineering, and storytelling. We design and deliver large-scale drone light shows for brands, live events, and cultural moments around the globe. We’re a nimble, innovative, and entrepreneurial team passionate about precision, creativity, and pushing the boundaries of aerial entertainment.
You will serve as a flight lead (Pilot in Command or Co‑Pilot as assigned), responsible for the safe execution of drone light shows across an expansive scale—from small 100‑to-1,500 drone swarm operations—to translating artistic vision into safe, repeatable, high‑impact aerial performances.
Flight Operations & Safety
Act as RPIC / Co‑Pilot for test flights, rehearsals, and live shows; Lead comprehensive pre‑mission planning: site survey, grid/coordinate design, pad layout, margin offsets, termination zones, redundancy, and emergency procedures.
Ensure full regulatory compliance: FAA Part 107, Remote ID, airspace authorizations (via LAANC / DroneZone), night operations, and over‑people rules when applicable.
Confirm night‑ops readiness: anti‑collision lighting, observer coverage, comms plan, geofence containment.
Conduct on‑site safety briefings and risk reviews with your field crew, clients, and local stakeholders.
Systems, Software & Data
Operate or integrate with drone show control software / flight stacks (UGCS, PixHawk derivatives, vendor show platforms).
Field Leadership & Client Collaboration
Lead, coordinate, and mentor a field crew (2–6 persons, scalable by show size) in setup, launch pad deployment, payload staging, and teardown.
Act as the technical ambassador on site—interface with clients, venue staff, and regulatory/venue authorities.
Conduct field inspections, minor repairs, and triage RMA processes; support keeping the drone fleet in show‑ready condition.
train newer pilots/crew on best practices and risk management.
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate in good standing.
Proficiency with airspace systems (LAANC / DroneZone authorizations) and Remote ID compliance.
Experience with one or more UAV / show software systems (UGCS, PixHawk, or equivalent).
Flexible schedule: ability to travel heavily (50%‑75%), work nights, weekends, holidays and in varied weather conditions.
Proven experience in drone light show operations of 100+ drones — ideally up to swarm sizes in hundreds or more.
Field leadership experience, including directing team operations and safety briefings.
Familiarity with show tech ecosystems (timecode sync, audio/visual integration, communication chains).
At Pixis Drones, precision meets creative spectacle. We engineer safety into every show—from redundancy in hardware/software to procedural discipline and real‑time decision frameworks. Our creative edge is rooted in reliability and operational rigor. We welcome people from diverse domains—aviation, robotics, events, media—and provide systems training and mentorship to help you grow.
comfortable with walking, standing, and field deployment tasks.
It is the policy of Pixis to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, Pixis will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
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