Drone Operations Manager & Lead Pilot

About the role

Specialist Drone Services, a provider of precision agriculture and drone solutions in Tanzania and the wider East African region, is hiring a full-time, on-site Drone Operations Manager & Lead Pilot in Dar es Salaam. The role covers planning, coordinating and executing drone operations for surveying, mapping, agricultural spraying and spreading, crop and environmental monitoring and other client assignments, using DJI Agras T40, T50 and Matrice 350 RTK platforms.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee mission planning, site assessments, pre- and post-flight inspections, risk assessments, flight logs and compliance with Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) regulations and company procedures.
• Process and quality-check drone data with tools such as DJI Terra and DJI FlightHub, and prepare maps, technical reports and client-ready deliverables.
• Manage fleet readiness, batteries, generators, routine maintenance, troubleshooting, software updates, equipment inventories and repairs.
• Coordinate field teams, recruit and mentor junior pilots, schedule deployments and monitor performance, service quality, timelines, equipment use and operating costs.
• Support client consultations, technical demonstrations, project scoping, work plans and proposals, and identify new services, improvements and partnerships.

Required profile

• Valid TCAA licences, credentials and authorisations, including medical and radio-telephony qualifications.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience and certifications with DJI Agras T40, T50 and Matrice 350 RTK.
• Fluent spoken and written English and Swahili.
• Ability to work on-site in varied field conditions, travel as needed and meet high safety and quality standards.
• Previous experience in precision agriculture, GIS, surveying, engineering or related fields is an advantage; commercial drone licences in Kenya or the East African region are strongly preferred.

Required skills

• Flight planning, operational safety, equipment care and troubleshooting, mission management and data-processing applications.
• Supervising pilots, managing equipment and preparing technical reports for clients.
• Effective communication and client management, explaining technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.