Meet our team: Tom Brough, Drone Pilot

Drone Pilots play a critical role in our operations, and there’s more to it than you’d think. We sat down with one of our new pilots, Tom Brough, to get the inside scoop on what it’s really like.

So you’re a Drone Pilot – that’s cool! What do you get up to?

Whilst the official job title is “Drone Pilot”, there’s a lot more to it than just flying the aircraft, and that’s what I love about it.

Flying is of course a core part, but the role extends to route planning, training on the aircraft, making sure the kit is properly maintained, and helping the Regulations Team to get the right authorisations and regulatory approvals ahead of a project. There’s a lot of preparation that needs to be done to make sure our projects are a success.

So what does your typical working week look like?

Although it’s a cliché, genuinely every week is different, and I love the variety. If we’re in between projects I might be at our facility in Westcott, maintaining the kit or undertaking some training flights. If I really need to get my head down, I might spend a day or two working from home, planning for a project to make sure it runs as smoothly as possible.

The next week I could then be off to a project, getting ready to fly. You get access to some pretty cool places, whether that’s behind the scenes in dockyards in Portsmouth, or out to remote and beautiful parts of the countryside, both in the UK and internationally.

What’s been your favourite project you’ve worked on, and why?

I’ve mainly been involved in our delivery project up in the Orkney Islands with Royal Mail. This is the UK’s first UK commercial drone delivery service, establishing a daily inter-island mail distribution service between Stromness on Orkney’s Mainland and the islands of Graemsay and Hoy.

It’s quite a complex project with a lot of different parties involved, but I love the element of teamwork that comes with it – getting all the pieces of the puzzle to fit together to make it happen.

It’s also been cool to work on a project that is making a real difference to people’s lives, and demonstrate more widely how drones can support critical public services.

What do you like most about being a Drone Pilot?

Well, it’s cool to say that you’re a pilot! And the technology is fascinating. We’re working with the very latest tech and aircraft, and pushing it to its limits with our projects. It’s amazing to get to use it first hand in the real world and make a difference in the process.

I also love how no project is the same, so there’s real variety to the work you’re doing. It takes you to some really interesting places you’d never usually go to, and it tests your problem solving skills. As Skyports is a smaller company, you’re really given the autonomy to come up with your own solutions, but you’re also able to bounce ideas with some of the best in the business.

What do you think is the biggest misconception around being a Drone Pilot?

When I tell my friends I’m a Drone Pilot they think I’m just flying toys around, taking pretty pictures! But it’s much, much more advanced than that.

The drones we’re using are serious pieces of kit, and we’re using them to make a real measurable difference across industries, from asset delivery to inspection services. They’re really disrupting the way that businesses go about doing everyday tasks, providing a faster, safer and more sustainable alternative.

What’s been the best unexpected benefit?

Travel is naturally a big part of the role, and I knew this before I started, but I hadn’t anticipated how interesting it would be. Whilst other people’s work travel might be taking them to Manchester or Paris, this role takes you to places you’d never usually go to and gives you access to things you’d never usually see. We’ve been involved in projects that have sent the team all over the world, from Michigan to New York, Norway to Sweden, The Congo to Malawi, and Sydney to Singapore.   

It’s been an amazing opportunity to head up to the Orkney Islands and see how people live in such a remote location. It was also fascinating to head to Portsmouth and see how a major port operates, and work our drone operations within the comings and goings of ships and other aircraft.

How have you found being a Drone Pilot, and Skyports, for building a career?

In my previous role I was part of a much larger organisation, where I had a pretty set role, and was just a smaller cog that was part of a larger machine.

The work we do at Skyports is much more dynamic. You’re part of a smaller, tight knit team, with a very clear shared goal. This means you feel much more involved and motivated, as the work you do and your input has a real measurable difference to the success of a project.

The work can be demanding at times, but it’s also meant there’s a real sense of value, importance and accountability, and I’ve really felt a real desire to push myself here. The collaborative environment here at Skyports means I’ve felt like I’ve learnt so much, which has been a great CV builder.

What’s the life and culture like at Skyports?

Whilst it’s exciting and fast paced, it’s also very welcoming, and they’re genuinely a nice bunch. In my previous role we’d all be itching to get out the door at the end of the day, but I’m more than happy to stick around and play some ping pong or head down to the pub for a beer or two if there’s a few of us in.

Whilst there’s a clear organisational structure with managers and a chain of command, they’re all very approachable, and I never feel intimidated to go speak to them or tell them about an idea I’ve got, or let them know about an issue. There’s a lot of fluidity to it, and it feels like we’re a pretty close knit gang.

What are your own personal career ambitions?

There’s a pretty clear career trajectory at Skyports, and my ambition is to move on to become a Team Lead. Skyports is much more focussed on your skills and abilities to get the job done rather than the months or years you’ve spent in the role, so if you prove yourself there’s the possibility to rise the ranks pretty quickly. There’s good training that comes with this too, and I feel like Skyports is setting me up well for a decent career.

If you’re someone who’s passionate about drones and aviation, and wants to get paid to travel to cool places, this is the role for you.