Trevor Wischnewsky became a remote pilot in command, or RPIC, at FlyTrex after learning that drones were delivering pizza and sushi near his Texas home. His job is less about flying and more about overseeing: he tracks up to 10 drones at once, checking that their paths are clear and the weather is safe before letting autonomous systems take over.
The role demands aviation experience and an FAA drone pilot certificate, plus a company training course. Wischnewsky was already training as a commercial pilot when he applied. In the Dallas–Fort Worth area, drones from FlyTrex and competitors like Zipline and Amazon share their positions through an unmanned aircraft system traffic management network, which helps prevent collisions beyond the pilot's line of sight.
The hardest adjustment, he says, was trusting the automation. In manned aviation, pilots are taught not to rely on it. As an RPIC, he acts as a safety net, stepping in when conditions turn. He recalls one drone that hit sudden wind shortly after takeoff; he intervened and brought it back safely, keeping an errant ice cream cake off the sidewalk.