Shape the Future of AIJoin one of the UK's fastest-growing companies and become a Professional Development Expert in Artificial Intelligence.

View Roles

Drone Operations Manager

UAV Talent
Wakefield
1 month ago
Create job alert

1 day ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

UAV Talent is seeking a forward-thinkingUAS Operations Managerto spearhead the next generation ofautomated drone operationsacross the UK and Europe. You’ll be at the helm of a world-class programme focused on atmospheric data and climate research-driven by advanced,highly autonomous UAS platforms.

This is not your standard drone job. It’s about scaling BVLOS missions, integrating cutting-edge payloads, and crafting the aviation systems that underpin a truly automated fleet. You’ll own regulatory readiness, technical operations, and client integration in one of the most exciting sectors in aerospace.

What You’ll be working on:

  • Lead and evolve all regulatory documentation -Operations Manuals and the SORA Package
  • OwnOperational Authorisation submissionsand airspace access processes across CAA, EASA, and ANSPs.
  • Build and maintain the systems that enable safe, repeatableBVLOS autonomous flight.

Fleet & Mission Oversight

  • Ensureairworthiness, spares availability, and mission readiness across the drone fleet.
  • Lead client-specificUAV/payload integrationsfor highly customised scientific missions.
  • Grow and guide a skilled team across operations, safety, and engineering support.

Stakeholder Engagement & Innovation

  • Act as the interface between technical teams, customers, and regulators.
  • Support R&D onautonomy, airspace integration, and performance scaling.
  • Represent operations in bids, live demos, and technical consultations.

About the Company

Our client is afast-growing, employee-owned science and tech firmfocused onclimate and atmospheric data, with projects spanning Europe and the Arctic. Operating at the intersection of robotics, aviation, and science, they blend a start-up culture with real-world impact-working in low-bureaucracy, high-autonomy environments.

What You Bring

  • Expertise in UAS operations and aviation compliance (CAP 722, EU 2019/947, SORA).
  • Experience managingautomated or semi-autonomous UAS systems.
  • Excellent communicator, able to brief regulators, clients, and C-suite leaders alike.
  • Proven ability to lead in both strategic planning and real-time operations.

Bonus Points For:

  • Exposure to meteorological or atmospheric science.
  • Project management credentials.
  • Familiarity with AI tools or automation frameworks.
  • Industry group involvement or safety/first aid training.

The Offer

  • 30 days holiday + Bank Holidays
  • International travel opportunities
  • EMI share options & pension scheme

Please contact or apply directly.

Seniority level

  • Seniority levelMid-Senior level

Employment type

  • Employment typeFull-time
  • IndustriesBusiness Consulting and Services

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at UAV Talent by 2x

Get notified about new Operations Manager jobs inWakefield, England, United Kingdom.

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 4 weeks ago

Doncaster, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 2 months ago

Doncaster, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Wakefield, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Huddersfield, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Holywell Green, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Batley, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Mirfield, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago

Regional Operations Manager - Dorset Region

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Yeadon, England, United Kingdom 8 hours ago

Morley, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Rotherham, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Wickersley, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago

Senior Operations Manager - Fairburn, GA

Fairburn, England, United Kingdom 1 day ago

Glossop, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago

Sheffield, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Senior Manager - Customer Operations (B2B Order Management)

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 month ago

Doncaster, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago

South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Wakefield, England, United Kingdom 3 days ago

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.


#J-18808-Ljbffr

Related Jobs

View all jobs

UAS (Drone) Manager

Business Development Manager (Defense and Drone Industry)

Business Development Manager (Defense and Drone Industry)

Business Development Manager (Defense and Drone Industry)

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Automate Your UAV Jobs Search: Using ChatGPT, RSS & Alerts to Save Hours Each Week

UAV roles land across defence, emergency services, surveying/GIS, energy & utilities inspection, logistics, agri/forestry, media, infrastructure, start-ups and research labs—often hidden in ATS portals or duplicated across job boards. The fastest way to keep up isn’t heroic scrolling; it’s automation. With keyword-rich alerts, RSS feeds and a reusable ChatGPT workflow, you can bring relevant roles to you, triage them in minutes, and tailor strong applications without burning your evenings. This copy-paste playbook is for www.uavjobs.co.uk readers. It’s UK-centric, practical, and designed to save you hours each week. What You’ll Have Working In 30 Minutes A role & keyword map spanning GNC/Flight Control, Autonomy/Navigation, Perception, Mission Planning, Avionics/Embedded, Comms/RF/Networking, UTM & Airworthiness, Mechanical/Propulsion, Payload/Imaging, Field Ops & Pilots, and Cloud/Fleet Ops. Shareable Boolean searches to paste into Google and job boards that slice out noise. Always-on alerts & RSS feeds that deliver fresh UK roles to your reader/inbox. A ChatGPT “UAV Job Scout” prompt that deduplicates, scores fit and outputs ready-to-paste actions. A simple pipeline tracker so deadlines and follow-ups never slip.

10 UAV Recruitment Agencies in the UK You Should Know (2025 Job‑Seeker Guide)

From unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous drones to UAS software and payload integration, the UK UAV industry is on a steep growth curve. Lightcast data shows +37 % YoY growth in UK job ads mentioning “UAV”, “drone systems”, “UAS pilot” or “aerospace unmanned” in Q1 2025. Yet with fewer than 6,000 professionals in the field, demand far exceeds supply. This guide lists 10 UK‑registered recruitment agencies whose primary focus includes UAV or drone-related hiring. Use it to connect with the right recruiters, prep for interviews, and land offers.

UAV Jobs Skills Radar 2026: Emerging Tools, Platforms & Technologies to Learn Now

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are no longer just military assets—they're transforming agriculture, infrastructure inspection, logistics, filmmaking, and public safety. As commercial drone operations scale in the UK, the demand for skilled UAV professionals is rising sharply across engineering, flight operations, data analysis, and autonomous systems. Welcome to the UAV Jobs Skills Radar 2026—your annual guide to the tools, platforms, certifications, and technologies that are shaping UAV careers in the UK. Whether you're a drone pilot, systems engineer, or AI developer working on autonomous navigation, this radar shows you what to focus on to remain in-demand.