Drone Operations Manager & Systems Lead

DART SYSTEMSDrone Operations Manager & Systems LeadPosition overviewDART Systems currently operates 2 drones. One, large 6-rotor drone for monitoring large areas such as wildfire support and a DJI Dock 3 and Matrice used in a drone as a first responder role. The company is based in Chiang Mai where we are working closely with the local authority. We are expanding our drone business and are seeking an experienced, practical and safety-focused Drone Operations Manager & Systems Lead to manage UAV operations and support the deployment of professional and autonomous drone systems. The role combines flight operations, fleet readiness, team coordination, technical configuration, systems integration, regulatory coordination and operational training.The successful candidate will oversee pilots and technical personnel, help keep equipment and procedures ready for use, and work with the software team to connect UAV capabilities with DART and related platforms. The role also supports project deployments and coordinates with customers, project teams, authorities and specialist providers.Key responsibilities1. Flight operations and safetyPlan, schedule and supervise UAV activities, including routine operations, demonstrations, field deployments, surveillance and emergency-response support.Oversee mission planning, site risk assessments, weather checks, execution and post-flight reporting; make go/no-go recommendations in remote or challenging environments.Develop and maintain SOPs, checklists and safety procedures, including alert handling, escalation, lost-link, abort, manual-recovery and unsafe-weather scenarios.Keep accurate flight logs and records of incidents, near misses, defects and corrective actions; ensure flights stay within permissions and operating limits.2. Fleet management and maintenanceManage readiness of aircraft, thermal and other payloads, batteries, controllers, communications equipment and autonomous docking stations.Establish preventive-maintenance schedules, inspections and health checks (including quarterly checks); maintain asset registers and spares inventories.Coordinate repairs, servicing and firmware/software updates; evaluate new UAV technology and recommend purchases based on safety, reliability and cost.3. Autonomous deployment and commissioningLead or coordinate dock-site surveys (power, network, RTK, radio-frequency conditions, privacy, access, weather exposure) and prepare site-readiness dossiers.Configure and commission Dock 3 / 4 and Matrice 4TD / 5TD systems, including firmware baselines, pairing, AL1 spotlight and AS1 speaker payloads and RC Plus 2 controllers, subject to final project specifications.Conduct acceptance flights, test automated mission workflows and remote operation, and track defects to closure before handover.4. Platform integration and connectivityBe familiar with configure the selected fleet-management platform such as FlytBase or another, similar platform), including user roles, mission templates, geofences, no-go areas and operational logic.Work with DART's software team to integrate UAV data (live video, thermal imagery, GPS, mission status) into DART.net, and support testing of missions triggered by satellite alerts and AI-assisted fire detection.Define network requirements (bandwidth, latency, firewall rules, cellular backup) and contribute to cybersecurity and data-governance documentation, including access control, encryption, data hosting and cross-border transfer.5. Regulatory coordinationCoordinate with CAAT, NBTC, insurers and other parties; support the project foundation package (baseline CONOPS, SOPs, compliance matrix, insurance documentation).Help scope operational risk assessments (SORA or equivalent) and BVLOS requirements; distinguish planned capabilities from operations currently authorised.6. Team leadership and trainingSupervise, train and give feedback to pilots, technicians and field personnel; ensure qualifications, certificates and competencies are current.Deliver operator and administrator training, refresher courses and emergency simulations; coordinate external certification (including DTI-UTC/USI where applicable) and record results.7. Disaster management and field operationsSupport deployments for wildfire detection, flood monitoring, search and rescue and environmental surveillance, coordinating with emergency responders, agencies and conservation organisations.Provide timely aerial information for incident verification; join field demonstrations and pilot projects in Thailand and, when required, internationally.8. Business development and documentationProvide technical input to customer meetings, proposals, operational plans, specifications, feasibility assessments and budgets; recommend suitable UAV systems for customer needs.Maintain as-built architecture, configuration baselines, asset registers and mission libraries; document system limitations and escalation paths; lead structured handover to the operational team.Required qualifications and experienceBachelor's degree in aviation, aerospace, engineering, robotics, electronics, computer science or a related field (equivalent experience considered).At least 5 years in professional UAV operations, including at least 2 years with enterprise or dock-based autonomous systems.Experience supervising pilots, technicians, projects or field operations, and training and assessing adult operators.Hands-on experience with DJI enterprise platforms (ideally Matrice series and DJI Dock) or comparable systems.Experience with mission planning, risk assessment, maintenance, SOPs, CONOPS and safety documentation; familiarity with BVLOS and SORA.Working knowledge of Thai UAV regulations and CAAT/NBTC procedures, or the ability to work effectively with regulatory specialists.Valid remote-pilot certificate (e.g. CAAT UAS pilot certificate) or an equivalent qualification that can be validated.Working understanding of IP networking, RTK, bandwidth, latency, cellular connectivity and basic cybersecurity; familiarity with thermal imaging for wildfire and emergency response.Personal attributes and languageThe ideal candidate will be organised, hands-on, safety-committed and disciplined about documentation; able to work independently and escalate appropriately. In addition to adaptable, willing to travel and work in remote conditions; collaborative across software, engineering, operations and external stakeholders. We are looking for someone with a genuine interest in environmental protection, disaster management and emerging technologies. Thai: Fluent Thai preferred for local operations and regulatory communication; non-fluent candidates should show how they will manage these duties.English: Good working proficiency, spoken and written.Reporting structure and working arrangementsReports to: CEO / designated Operations Director; works closely with the Programme Lead and Project Manager

Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand, with deployments to other project sites as requiredEmployment: Full-time.

Monday to Friday.Salary: In the order of THB 120,000 per month, depending on experience and qualifications What DART Systems offersThe opportunity to work with professional UAVs, autonomous docking systems and integrated disaster-management technology.Direct involvement in projects supporting wildfire detection, disaster response, environmental monitoring and community protection.Collaboration with colleagues across aviation, software engineering, AI and emergency management.Opportunities to participate in projects in Thailand and potentially internationally, with scope to develop expertise in autonomous drone systems and related technologies.