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Air) with a minimum capability to support a crew of two, power supply, workstation, sensor payload, data links and endurance to meet collection requirements. The typical fix-wing aircraft used in military operations varies from small single or twin engine general aviation airframes (C-332 Skymaster) to purpose built military airframes like the P-3 Orion, S-3 Viking and the new P-8 Poseidon, to large wide-body jet aircraft (RC-135) with multiple work stations and long endurance capabilities. The typical manned rotorcraft (R22/44, Eurocopter EC145, Bell 205 SH-60 M/R Seahawk) used by all industry sectors is either light turbine or twin engine helicopters with a minimum capability to support a crew of two, power supply, workstation, sensor payload, data link and endurance to meet collection requirements.
24:
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days off based on tasking, availability of assets and weather. A large percentage of sensor operators spend a considerable amount of time away from home because of the diverse locations of collection areas. When airborne sensor operators are away from home, the agencies or companies provide lodging accommodations, transportation between lodging and the airfield or launch/recovery location, and an allowance for meals and other expenses. Remote sensing organizations operate flights at all hours of the day and night, so work schedules often are irregular.
252:
imaging firms or academic organizations. Formal training routinely consists of initial training and advance training programs. Formal training programs are primarily provided by defense organizations, law enforcement departments and by a limited number of commercial training firms for a fee. The length of each type of training avenue is based on the complexity of the duties required, systems and the resources available. Informal training usually takes from several days to several weeks while formal training programs take several weeks to one year.
96:(aerial sensor operator, ASO, Aerial Remote Sensing Data Acquisition Specialist, Aerial Payload Operator, Police Tactical Flight Officer, Tactical Coordinator etc.) is the functional profession of gathering information from an airborne platform (Manned or Unmanned) and/or oversee mission management systems for academic, commercial, public safety or military remote sensing purposes. The airborne sensor operator is considered a principal flight crew or aircrew member.
192:
RQ-4, RQ-9) systems. Micro, small or tactical UAV systems usually require one operator who acts as both pilot and sensor operator. Typically, a UAV sensor operator is positioned next to the UAV operator/pilot at a stationary or mobile Ground
Control Unit (GCU) with computer hardware & software to manage both flight, sensor and data-link operations.
172:
managing the aircraft's primary sensors. Furthermore, airborne law enforcement sensor operators support border-control, maritime security and counter-narcotic operations. In the firefighting sector, sensor operators are used in forest firefighting” Lead Plane” functions, metropolitan & urban firefighting support and search & rescue operations.
191:
In regard to unmanned platforms, airborne sensor operators operate off-board of fixed-wing and rotorcraft unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The primary categories of UAVs that airborne sensor operators support are Mid-Altitude Long
Endurance (MALE / RQ-1, Heron) and High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE /
167:
In the science & academic sector, airborne sensor operators primarily support both the commercial and academic communities with developing and testing new remote sensing technology and advancing the knowledge base of specific academic disciplines. In the academic sector, airborne sensor operators
260:
Airborne sensor operators work in all kinds of conditions, so it depends on what industry sector one works in. In general, the working conditions get better as an operator gains experience and are able to have a larger, wider choice of who they fly for and what sort of flying that agency or company
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Sensor operators are paid hourly in smaller firms and a salary in larger organizations. Benefits are rare but are usually offered at the larger agencies or companies. Average pay is $ 20 to $ 30 an hour and the average salary for airborne sensor operator jobs is $ 41,000 to $ 54,000. However, the
264:
The working conditions vary from working for a regional aerial surveying firm on a part-time base to working full-time in a large organization where there is a career path and other additional duties. Most airborne sensing operators have a variable work schedule, working several days on and several
251:
The training avenues for airborne sensor operators are either informal or formal. Informal programs consist of on-the-job-training with limited classroom training and immersion with current operations. Informal training usually takes place in-house of established commercial airborne surveying &
171:
In the public safety & security sector, airborne sensor operators primarily support law enforcement and firefighting operations. In the law enforcement sector, the sensor operator is known as a
Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) which includes many air-to-ground coordination responsibilities besides
163:
In the commercial sector, airborne sensor operators primarily support the agricultural, construction, power supply and mining industries. They routinely support crop monitoring, power line mapping, pipeline monitoring, and geophysical surveying. However, airborne sensor operators support many other
159:
The specific industry sectors that require airborne sensor operators are varied. The primary sectors are in the commercial surveying, science, public safety & security and defense. Most airborne sensor operators either work for specific government organizations or aerial surveying-imaging firms
112:
Today, with the advancement of smaller and more powerful remote sensing systems along with smaller and economical manned and unmanned platforms, the airborne remote sensing industry is expanding in line with many other expanding industry sectors that in the past could not afford and/or try to apply
187:
In regard to manned platforms, Airborne Sensor
Operators operate on board large to small fix-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The typical fixed-wing aircraft used in commercial, academic and public safety operations is either single or twin engine general aviation airframes (C-172, TECNAM 2006, King
199:
Besides the different type of platforms and sensors that airborne sensor operators work with, operators routinely work with various other types of aircraft systems (emergency, navigation, radios, intercom, data links and data recorders) or ground data processing, exploitation and dissemination
175:
In the defense sector, airborne sensor operators primarily support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance collection operations. The type of collection and systems they manage are in the military disciplines of Signal
Intelligence (SIGINT), Measurement Intelligence (MASINT), and Imagery
104:
The modern airborne sensor operator profession began in 1858 when
Gaspard-Felix Tournachon “Nadar” first took aerial photographs of Paris from a hot air balloon. Remote sensing and airborne sensor operator duties continued to grow from there; one of the first planned uses of remote sensing and
108:
The first governmental-organized air photography missions were developed for military surveillance during World Wars I and II but reached a climax during the Cold War. However, the airborne sensor operator profession developed ever so more in all industry sectors during these decades with the
208:
At a minimum, an airborne sensor operator should have the required knowledge or training to effectively operate in the flight environment, operate sensors and provide a usable product to the end user. The following knowledge areas define the baseline of a proficient airborne sensor operator:
195:
In regard to sensors, airborne sensor operators work with either active sensors or passive sensors. The typical active sensors used by sensor operators are
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and sonar. The typical passive sensors used by sensor operators are
126:
The primary responsibilities of an airborne sensor operator are to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft, effectively operate assigned remote sensing systems and support the processing, exploitation and dissemination of collected information.
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Intelligence (IMINT). However, airborne sensor operators also operate in many other military roles which include tactical combat operations and Combat Search & Rescue (CSAR).
450:
713:
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are currently supporting archeologist, geologist and meteorologist to integrate remote sensing data into their various disciplines, methods and studies.
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this capability. With this, the airborne sensor operator profession continues to expand and support the need for ever more precision
Information.
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767:
740:
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average airborne sensor operator hourly wages or salaries can vary greatly due to company, location, industry, experience and benefits.
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electro-optical/ infrared (EO/IR), Hyper-spectral, RGB cameras, Thermal cameras, magnetometers and communication/signal receivers.
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Airborne Sensor
Operators perform their functions on/with both manned and unmanned aircraft with either active or passive sensors.
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operators occurred during the U.S. Civil War when manned and unmanned balloons were flown over enemy territory with cameras.
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Qualifications in terms of statutory regulations according to national, state, or provincial legislation in each country
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Rob Powers, “AFSC 1U0X1, Unmanned
Aerospace System (UAS) Sensor Operator”, About.com – Careers-Military,
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advancement of radar, lasers, radio/signal receivers and electro-optical/infra-red technology.
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sectors that include radio & television, private security, marketing and real estate.
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specializing in data acquisition & processing versus directly with the end user.
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Airborne Sensor Operator, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator, Payload Operator etc
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National Defense and the Canadian Armed, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator,
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248:• Processing, exploitation and dissemination systems & capabilities
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American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association,
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Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance
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Nick Oza, edited by: RC Davison•updated: 5/20/2011, Bright Hub,
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Some of the general duties of an airborne sensor operator are:
151:• Processing, exploitation and dissemination of acquired data
522:"AFSC 1U0X1, Unmanned Aerospace System (UAS) Sensor Operator"
218:• Manned & unmanned aircraft systems & capabilities
230:• Crew resource management (CRM) and human factors (HF)
499:
227:• Flight & airfield operations and procedures
711:Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences,
451:"The Tactical Flight Officer LawOfficer Magazine"
136:• Sensor installation, testing & maintenance
835:
121:
549:"Chapter 3 – OPTICAL AIRBORNE REMOTE SENSING"
670:"The Various Types of Active Remote Sensors"
426:Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Association,
404:Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Association,
245:• Mission planning & mission management
236:• Passive sensor systems & capabilities
239:• Active sensor systems & capabilities
76:Conducting aerial remote-sensing operations
795:"salaries-k-airborne-sensor-operator-jobs"
22:
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148:• Quality control (QC) of acquired data
546:Jeffrey S. Myers and Richard L. Miller,
224:• Radio & communication operations
836:
692:"Principles of Passive Remote Sensing"
741:"Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator"
363:"Brief History of Aerial Photography"
242:• Sensor operations and maintenance
817:"salaries-airborne-sensor-operator"
620:Airborne Technologies, rotary-wing,
212:• Theory of flight and aeronautics
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99:
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497:Federation of American Scientists,
478:"The Aerial Firefighting Tutorial"
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14:
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667:Nick Oza, 5/26/2011, Bright Hub,
593:The Spyflight, C-337 and RC-135,
571:Airborne Technologies, Fix-Wing,
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139:• Flight & crew management
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133:• Flight and sensor planning,
17:Airborne Sensor Operator (ASO)
1:
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300:Geographic information system
122:Responsibilities & duties
792:Simply hired, Simply Salary,
768:"Advanced-Operator-Training"
233:• Electro-magnetic spectrum
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200:hardware & software.
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448:Ken Solosky 30 Oct 2008,
142:• Collection management
94:airborne sensor operator
844:Occupations in aviation
320:Unmanned aerial vehicle
500:"FM 2-0: Intelligence"
714:"Platforms 1 Aiborne"
180:Platforms and systems
602:on 30 September 2018
221:• Aerial navigation
145:• Sensor operations
774:on 16 February 2016
747:on 16 February 2016
720:on 16 February 2016
528:on 16 February 2016
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596:"C-337 and RC-135"
360:Northstar Gallery,
279:Aerial photography
82:Education required
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645:"Aerial-Vehicles"
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820:. Retrieved
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429:"Commercial"
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407:"Commercial"
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388:. Retrieved
385:"RS History"
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341:"RS History"
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73:Competencies
822:29 December
814:Indeed.com,
800:29 December
778:29 December
765:L-3 Wescam,
751:29 December
724:29 December
697:29 December
675:29 December
653:29 December
628:23 December
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390:22 December
368:22 December
346:22 December
68:Description
574:"Fix Wing"
326:References
31:Occupation
642:UVS-INFO,
838:Category
273:See also
204:Training
117:Overview
62:Aviation
289:Aircrew
50:Aircrew
261:does.
648:(PDF)
552:(PDF)
36:Names
824:2015
802:2015
780:2015
753:2015
726:2015
699:2015
677:2015
655:2015
630:2015
608:2015
581:2015
559:2015
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348:2015
92:An
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
