Summary
A Drone (UAS) Engineer works in aviation, where safety rules, licensing and precise procedure govern every part of the job. In India this work sits inside the Engineering and Technology stream: students usually take Science with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) in Class 11–12, qualify through B.E. / B.Tech in the chosen branch (or 3-year diploma + lateral entry), and specialise later through work experience or a master's. The sections below set out the study route, the entrance exams, the leading institutes in India and abroad, and the day-to-day reality of the job.
Core skills
- Situational awareness and calm under pressure
- Precise communication and checklist discipline
- Technical understanding of aircraft systems
- Physical fitness and medical fitness
Where you can work
- Scheduled and low-cost airlines
- Airports and ground-handling companies
- Charter, cargo and business aviation
- Regulators, MRO facilities and training academies
Professional Opportunities
Scheduled and low-cost airlines
Airports and ground-handling companies
Charter, cargo and business aviation
Regulators, MRO facilities and training academies
Career Path
| Stage | What you study | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| After Class 10 | Science with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) | 2 years (Class 11–12) |
| Graduation | B.E. / B.Tech in the chosen branch (or 3-year diploma + lateral entry) | 4 years |
| After Graduation | M.E. / M.Tech, MS abroad, or MBA for management tracks | 2 years |
| After Post-Graduation | Ph.D. for R&D, ISRO/DRDO labs and academia | 3–5 years (optional) |
Important Facts
- Entry qualification: B.E. / B.Tech in the chosen branch (or 3-year diploma + lateral entry).
- Most institutes ask for 50–60% in the qualifying examination; reserved categories usually get a 5% relaxation.
- Admission is through the entrance exams listed below — national tests plus the state CET where applicable.
- Government and private institutes both offer this route; fee levels differ sharply between them.
- Scholarships listed on the HBK scholarships page apply to most of these programmes.
Leading Institutes in India
| # | Institute | Entrance / Category | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay (Maharashtra) | Best IITs (Indian Institute of Technology ) in India | www.iitb.ac.in/ |
| 1 | National Institute of Technology, Warangal (Andhra Pradesh) | Best NITs (National Institute of Technology) in India | www.nitw.ac.in/ |
| 1 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indian Institute of Info. Tech. and Management, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) | Best IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) in India | www.iiitm.ac.in/index.php/en/ |
| 1 | Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra Ranchi (Jharkhand) | Top 10 GFTIs for Engineering and Technology | www.bitmesra.ac.in/ |
| 1 | Birla Institute of Tech. and Science, Pilani (Rajasthan) | BITSAT | www.bits-pilani.ac.in/ |
| 2 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi | Best IITs (Indian Institute of Technology ) in India | home.iitd.ac.in/ |
| 2 | National Institute of Technology, Surathkal (Karnataka) | Best NITs (National Institute of Technology) in India | www.nitk.ac.in/ |
| 2 | Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) | Best IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) in India | www.iiita.ac.in/ |
| 2 | National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, Aurangabad (Maharashtra) | Top 10 GFTIs for Engineering and Technology | www.nielit.gov.in/ |
| 2 | Delhi Technological University, New Delhi | JEE Main | dtu.ac.in/ |
| 3 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati (Assam) | Best IITs (Indian Institute of Technology ) in India | www.iitg.ac.in/ |
| 3 | National Institute of Technology, Durgapur (West Bengal) | Best NITs (National Institute of Technology) in India | nitdgp.ac.in/ |
| 3 | PDPM Indian Insti. of Info. Tech., Design & Manufacturing (IIITDM), Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) | Best IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) in India | www.iiitdmj.ac.in/ |
| 3 | Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh | Top 10 GFTIs for Engineering and Technology | pec.ac.in/ |
| 3 | IIIT, Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) | JEE Main | www.iiita.ac.in/ |
| 4 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) | Best IITs (Indian Institute of Technology ) in India | www.iitk.ac.in/ |
| 4 | Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) | Best NITs (National Institute of Technology) in India | www.manit.ac.in/ |
| 4 | Indian Institute of Info. Tech., Design & Manufacturing, Kancheepuram, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) | Best IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) in India | www.iiitdm.ac.in/ |
| 4 | Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar (Jammu) | Top 10 GFTIs for Engineering and Technology | www.hnbgu.ac.in/ |
| 4 | Indraprastha Institute of Information Tech. Delhi, New Delhi | JEE Main | www.iiitd.ac.in/ |
| 5 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur (West Bengal) | Best IITs (Indian Institute of Technology ) in India | www.iitkgp.ac.in/ |
| 5 | National Institute of Technology, Calicut (Kerala) | Best NITs (National Institute of Technology) in India | www.nitc.ac.in/ |
| 5 | Indian Institute of Information Technology, Chittoor, Sri City (Andhra Pradesh) | Best IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) in India | www.iiits.ac.in/ |
| 5 | School of Engineering & Tech., Bengal Engineering and Science Uni., Shibpur (West Bengal) | Top 10 GFTIs for Engineering and Technology | www.iiests.ac.in/ |
| 5 | Birla Institute of Tech., Mesra (Jharkhand) | JEE Main | www.bitmesra.ac.in/ |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras (Tamil Nadu) | Best IITs (Indian Institute of Technology ) in India | www.iitm.ac.in/ |
| 6 | National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (Odisha) | Best NITs (National Institute of Technology) in India | www.nitrkl.ac.in/ |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Information Technology, Guwahati (Assam) | Best IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) in India | www.iiitg.ac.in/ |
| 6 | National Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Hatia, Ranchi (Jharkhand) | Top 10 GFTIs for Engineering and Technology | www.nifft.ac.in/ |
| 6 | College of Engineering, Pune (Maharashtra) | JEE Main | www.coep.org.in/ |
Institutions Abroad
| Institute | Country | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States | www.mit.edu/ |
| Stanford University | United States | www.stanford.edu/ |
| University of California, Berkeley | United States | www.berkeley.edu/ |
| ETH Zurich | Switzerland | ethz.ch/en.html |
| Imperial College London | United Kingdom | www.imperial.ac.uk/ |
| Nanyang Technological University | Singapore | www.ntu.edu.sg/ |
| Technical University of Munich | Germany | www.tum.de/en/ |
| University of Toronto | Canada | www.utoronto.ca/ |
Entrance Exams
| Exam | Full name | What it admits you to | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEE Main - Paper 1 | Joint Entrance Examination | B.E. / B.Tech Courses in NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs, State Engineering Colleges of Participating States and Other Participating Institutions. | www.jeemain.nta.nic.in/ |
| JEE Advanced | Joint Entrance Examination | Bachelor's or Integrated Master's Dual Degree in Engineering at IIT's | www.jeeadv.ac.in/ |
| CUET (UG) | Common University Entrance Test | B.Tech.courses at Central, Public and Private Universities who have optedto take UG admissions through CUET across India | cuet.samarth.ac.in/ |
| BITSAT | BITS Aptitude Test | BE at Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad and Dubai campus | www.bitsadmission.com/ |
| VITEEE | VIT-Engineering Entrance Exam | B.Tech. at VIT Vellore, Chennai, Bhopal and Andhra Pradesh Campus | viteee.vit.ac.in |
| SRMJEEE (UG) | SRM-Joint Engineering Entrance Exam | B.Tech. at SRM Group of Institutes at Chennai, Amaravati, NCR and Sonipat Campus | www.srmist.edu.in/ |
| NMIMS-CET | Common Entrance Test | B.Tech programs at Narsee Monjee, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Indore and Shirpur Campuses | nmimscet.in/ |
| MET | Manipal Entrance Test | B.Tech. at All Manipal Institute of Technology Colleges | apply.manipal.edu/ |
| MHT-CET | Maharashtra Technical Common Entrance Test | B.E. & B.Tech. in all Govt. &Affiliated Engineering Colleges in Maharashtra | cetcell.mahacet.org |
| KEA-CET | Karnataka Examination Authority Common Entrance Test | B.E. & B.Tech. in all Govt. & Affiliated Engineering Colleges in Karnataka | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/ |
| KIIT-EE | KIIT- Entrance Test | B. Tech. courses at KIIT University Bhubaneshwar | kiit.ac.in/ |
| AP-EAPCET (E Category) | Andhra Pradesh Engineering, Agriculture & Pharmacy Common Entrance Test | B. Tech. courses across engineering colleges in Andhra Pradesh | sche.ap.gov.in/EAPCET |
| WBJEE | West Bengal Joint Entrance Exam | B. Tech. courses across engineering colleges in West Bengal | wbjeeb.in/ |
| UPESEAT | UPES Engineering Aptitude Test | B.Tech. at UPES Dehradun | www.upes.ac.in/ |
| BV-BTECH CET | Common Entrance Test | B.Tech. programs at Bharati Vidyapeeth Pune-Maharashtra | bvuniversity.edu.in/ |
| TS-EAMCET E | Engineering Agriculture & Medical Common Entrance Test Engineering | BE / B.Tech. across Universities in Telangana | eamcet.tsche.ac.in/ |
| GAT | General Aptitude Test | 4 Year B.F.Tech Programs at NIFT Multilocation | nift.ac.in/ |
| GUJCET | Gujarat Common Entrance Test | B.E programs across Engineering Colleges and Universities in Gujarat | gujcet.gseb.org/ |
| SNUSAT +APT | Scholastic Aptitude + Academic Proficiency Test | B.Tech. Programs at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi & Chennai | home.pearsonvue.com/snu |
| CUET | Christ University Entrance Test | B.Tech. Programs at Christ University-Bangalore Kengeri Campus | christuniversity.in/ |
| KALSEE | Kalinga Scholastic Entrance Examination | B.Tech. Programs at Kalinga University, Chhattisgarh | kalingauniversity.ac.in/ |
| AMU-ET | Aligarh Muslim Univ. Entrance Test | BE & B.Tech. Programs at Aligarh Muslim University | www.amu.ac.in/ |
| PAU-CET | Common Entrance Test | B.Tech. Biotechnology and Food Technology at Punjab Agriculture University | www.pau-apms.in/ |
| CG-PET | Pre Engineering Test | B.Tech. Courses at Colleges in Chhattisgarh | cgkv.ac.in/ |
| SITEEE | Engineering Entrance Exam | B.Tech Programs at Symbiosis Multicampus | www.set-test.org/ |
| MITWPU-CET | MITWPU ‒ Common Entrance Test | BE & B.Tech. Programs at Aligarh Muslim University | mitwpu.edu.in/ |
| SRU-AIEE | SRU All India Entrance Examination | B.Tech Programs at Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai | www.sriramachandra.edu.in/ |
| KEAM | Kerala Engineering, Architecture and Medical Entrance Exam | B.Tech. Degree courses affiliated to various Universities in Kerala | cee.kerala.gov.in/ |
Work Description
- 01Follow standard operating procedures and pre-departure checks without exception.
- 02Coordinate with crew, ground staff and air traffic control.
- 03Log every action, fault and clearance as required by regulation.
- 04Handle passengers or equipment calmly during delays and emergencies.
- 05Renew licences, medicals and recurrent training on schedule.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Global travel and an internationally portable licence
- Strong pay once licensed and current
- Highly structured career progression
Cons
- Training and licensing cost is high
- Irregular rosters, night flights and time-zone strain
- Medical fitness must be maintained throughout
Are you fit for this career?
Take the free HBK psychometric test and see how Drone (UAS) Engineer matches your interests and aptitude.
Sources
© HBK Careers. Compiled in-house from official regulators, exam bodies and institute websites. Exam and institute records on this page are the same records used across the HBK handbook and exams pages.