JOB DESCRIPTION Agricultural Drone Pilot – Tea Estate Operations
Position: Agricultural Drone Pilot
Employment Type: Permanent / Full-Time
Location: Tea Estates – Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Department: Drone Operations
Industry: Agricultural Drone Spraying & Precision Agriculture
Reporting To: Cluster Manager / Operations Manager
About the Role
We are looking for Agricultural Drone Pilots to join our permanent drone operations team for spraying operations across tea estates in Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The selected candidate will be responsible for the safe and efficient operation of agricultural spraying drones for pesticide, fungicide, fertilizer and other approved agricultural applications in tea plantations.
This role is suitable for candidates who are comfortable working in large tea estates, hilly/sloping terrain, outdoor weather conditions and field-based deployments.
Key Responsibilities1. Drone Operation
- Operate agricultural spraying drones safely and efficiently as per company SOPs.
- Conduct pre-flight, during-flight and post-flight inspections.
- Perform autonomous and manual spraying missions as instructed.
- Maintain appropriate flight altitude, speed, swath width and application rate.
- Ensure accurate coverage of designated tea estate areas.
- Monitor drone battery, liquid level, GPS status, signal strength and other flight parameters.
- Operate the drone strictly within permitted operational limits.
- Follow all DGCA/company safety requirements and applicable local regulations.
2. Tea Estate Spraying Operations
- Conduct spraying operations in tea plantations according to the estate's spraying schedule.
- Understand field boundaries, roads, drains, slopes, trees, electrical lines and other obstacles before commencing operations.
- Carry out field reconnaissance and identify potential flight hazards.
- Maintain safe clearance from workers, vehicles, buildings, trees and other obstacles.
- Adjust flight parameters according to terrain, crop condition, weather and chemical application requirements.
- Avoid spraying outside the designated treatment area.
- Coordinate with estate supervisors and field staff during operations.
3. Pre-Flight Responsibilities
Before every operation, the pilot must:
- Inspect drone frame, motors, propellers, landing gear and tank.
- Check batteries and battery connections.
- Check remote controller and communication systems.
- Verify GPS status where applicable.
- Check pumps, pipes, filters and nozzles.
- Check for leakage or blockage.
- Verify chemical/water quantity.
- Review the planned spraying area and mission.
- Conduct an obstacle and safety assessment.
- Confirm weather and wind conditions are suitable for operation.
- Ensure all required PPE and safety equipment are available.
No flight shall be conducted if the drone, weather, operating area or safety conditions are considered unsafe.
4. Battery Management
- Handle drone batteries carefully during transportation, charging and operation.
- Inspect batteries before and after every operation.
- Record battery usage and charging cycles as required by company SOP.
- Ensure batteries are not exposed to rain, excessive moisture, chemicals or physical damage.
- Follow the company's battery charging, storage and transportation procedures.
- Immediately report swollen, damaged, overheated or abnormal batteries.
5. Chemical & Spraying Safety
- Follow the chemical application instructions provided by the company/estate.
- Ensure correct mixing and filling procedures are followed.
- Prevent chemical spills and contamination.
- Do not modify chemical dosage or application instructions without authorization.
- Follow proper cleaning and disposal procedures after spraying.
- Report chemical leakage, exposure or accidental spillage immediately.
6. Equipment Maintenance
The pilot will be responsible for the daily operational condition of the assigned drone.
Responsibilities include:
- Daily cleaning of the drone after operations.
- Cleaning tanks, pipes, filters and nozzles.
- Checking propellers and motors.
- Checking battery connectors and cables.
- Inspecting pumps and spraying systems.
- Reporting abnormal sounds, vibrations, leaks or performance issues.
- Maintaining the assigned drone and accessories in good operational condition.
- Maintaining daily maintenance and inspection records.
Major repairs must only be carried out by authorized technical personnel.
7. Documentation & Reporting
The pilot must maintain accurate records including:
- Daily flight records.
- Acreage/hectare sprayed.
- Battery usage records.
- Chemical usage records.
- Flight hours.
- Drone operating hours.
- Maintenance records.
- Daily operational reports.
- Field/estate-wise spraying records.
- Incident and accident reports.
- Any other records required by the company.
False reporting or manipulation of operational data will be treated as a serious violation.
Working Conditions
This is a field-based permanent position.
The pilot should be prepared to:
- Work in tea estates and remote plantation locations.
- Work on hilly and uneven terrain.
- Work in varying weather conditions.
- Work early mornings or extended field hours depending on estate requirements and weather.
- Travel or relocate between assigned tea estate clusters when required.
- Stay at company-provided accommodation during deployment.
- Work according to the operational requirements of the assigned estate/cluster.
Food & Accommodation
Company-provided food and accommodation will be provided during deployment at the assigned tea estate/cluster, subject to company policies and applicable terms and conditions.
Incentive Benefits
In addition to the fixed salary, eligible pilots may receive performance-based incentives based on operational performance.
Incentives may be linked to factors such as:
- Acreage successfully completed.
- Quality and accuracy of spraying.
- Operational efficiency.
- Attendance and deployment discipline.
- Equipment handling and maintenance.
- Safety compliance.
- Timely completion of assigned targets.
- Customer/estate feedback.
- Cluster/team performance.
Incentives are performance-based and will be applicable as per the company's prevailing incentive policy and terms and conditions.
Incentives are not guaranteed and may vary depending on operational requirements, individual performance, productivity and company policy.
Eligibility & QualificationsMinimum Qualification
- Minimum 10th Pass preferred.
- Higher educational qualification will be an advantage.
- Valid drone pilot license as applicable.
- Previous agricultural drone spraying experience will be preferred.
Experience
Experienced Pilots: Candidates with agricultural drone spraying experience, particularly in plantations or tea estates, will be given preference.
Required Skills
The candidate should have:
- Good understanding of drone operations.
- Basic knowledge of agricultural spraying.
- Ability to read and understand field maps.
- Basic understanding of GPS/RTK and autonomous missions.
- Good observation and situational awareness.
- Ability to identify field hazards.
- Basic troubleshooting skills.
- Ability to maintain operational records.
- Good communication and coordination skills.
- Ability to work independently in remote locations.
- Willingness to follow company SOPs and safety procedures.
Personal Attributes
The ideal candidate should be:
- Responsible and safety-conscious.
- Physically fit for field operations.
- Disciplined and punctual.
- Comfortable working outdoors.
- Willing to stay at tea estate locations.
- Willing to travel/relocate as required.
- Honest and responsible with company equipment.
- Capable of working under operational targets.
- A team player.
- Willing to learn new drone technology and spraying techniques.
Safety & Compliance
The pilot must strictly follow:
- Company Drone Operations SOP.
- Pre-flight and post-flight procedures.
- Battery handling and charging SOP.
- Chemical handling and PPE requirements.
- Estate safety instructions.
- Applicable DGCA regulations.
- Applicable local aviation and agricultural regulations.
- Emergency procedures.
- Company's equipment handling and reporting procedures.
Safety will always take priority over production targets.
No employee will be required to operate a drone when conditions are unsafe or when the operation would violate applicable regulations or company safety procedures.
Employment Terms & Conditions
- This is a permanent, full-time employment position, subject to successful completion of the company's selection, training and probation requirements.
- The employee may be deployed to tea estates in Assam, Tamil Nadu or other locations as required by the company.
- The employee must be willing to relocate and stay at the assigned deployment location.
- Food and accommodation will be provided during eligible company deployment as per company policy.
- Salary, incentives and other benefits will be governed by the company's prevailing compensation and incentive structure.
- Incentives are performance-based and subject to applicable targets, operational conditions and company approval.
- The employee must maintain proper attendance and comply with assigned duty timings and operational schedules.
- The employee must take proper care of the drone, batteries, chargers, spraying equipment, PPE and all other company assets entrusted to them.
- Any damage caused due to negligence, unauthorized operation, deliberate misuse or violation of SOPs may be subject to investigation and appropriate action as per company policy.
- The employee shall not operate the company's drone equipment for unauthorized personal or third-party operations.
- The employee shall not share company operational data, estate information, customer information, flight data, photographs, videos, maps or other confidential information without authorization.
- The employee must immediately report accidents, incidents, equipment damage, battery abnormalities, chemical exposure, loss of equipment or other operational issues to the reporting manager.
- Unauthorized absence from deployment, repeated negligence, violation of safety procedures, intoxication during duty, misuse of company property or serious misconduct may result in disciplinary action, including termination, subject to company policy and applicable law.
- The employee may be required to undergo periodic training, competency assessments and operational evaluations.
- The company reserves the right to modify deployment locations, operational responsibilities, incentive structures and work schedules based on business and operational requirements, subject to applicable employment terms and law.
Career Opportunity
Successful pilots may have opportunities to progress into roles such as:
Agricultural Drone Pilot → Senior Drone Pilot → Lead Pilot → Cluster Supervisor → Cluster Manager → Drone Operations Manager
The company will provide opportunities for skill development in:
- Advanced drone operations
- Tea plantation spraying
- Mission planning
- Drone troubleshooting
- Battery management
- Precision agriculture
- Team management
- Field operations management
Pay: ₹25,000.00 - ₹30,000.00 per month
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
