Occupation Details
Remote Sensing Technicians
Apply remote sensing technologies to assist scientists in areas such as natural resources, urban planning, or homeland security. May prepare flight plans or sensor configurations for flight trips.
Quick Navigation
Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$41,120.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$61,930.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$72,570.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
10,480
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
11,910
+143 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
1,494
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Degree Needed - Four-year college
Experience Requirements
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education Requirements
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, conservation scientists, art directors, and cost estimators.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Geography
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Airfield lighting equipment
- Anemometers
- DJI GS Pro
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras
- DroneDeploy
- Field computers
- Fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles UAV
- Gamma ray scintillometers
- Geophysical magnetometers
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Ground control targets
- Hyperspectral imaging equipment
- Landing pad
- Laptop computers
- Large format printers
- Laser imaging detection and ranging LIDAR systems
- Multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles UAV
- Multimeters
- Multispectral imaging equipment
- Personal computers
- Photo enlargers
- Plotters
- Power generators
- Radiometers
- Spectrum analyzers
- Synthetic aperture radar SAR
- Tablet computers
- Thermal infrared sensors
- Two way radios
Technology
- AJAX
- Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Aeronautical charts
- Agisoft Metashape
- Airdata
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Ansible software
- Applied Imagery Quick Terrain Modeler
- ArduPilot Mission Planner
- Atlassian JIRA
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- BAE Systems SOCET SET
- Bentley MicroStation
- C++
- Calibration software
Duties
Job duties information is not available for this occupation.
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Collaborate with agricultural workers to apply remote sensing information to efforts to reduce negative environmental impacts of farming practices.
- Collect remote sensing data for forest or carbon tracking activities involved in assessing the impact of environmental change.
- Provide remote sensing data for use in addressing environmental issues, such as surface water modeling or dust cloud detection.
- Collect geospatial data, using technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites, or thermal energy systems.
- Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.
- Correct raw data for errors due to factors such as skew or atmospheric variation.
- Integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data.
- Consult with remote sensing scientists, surveyors, cartographers, or engineers to determine project needs.
- Adjust remotely sensed images for optimum presentation by using software to select image displays, define image set categories, or choose processing routines.
- Manipulate raw data to enhance interpretation, either on the ground or during remote sensing flights.
- Merge scanned images or build photo mosaics of large areas, using image processing software.
- Calibrate data collection equipment.
- Develop or maintain geospatial information databases.
- Monitor raw data quality during collection, and make equipment corrections as necessary.
- Participate in the planning or development of mapping projects.
- Maintain records of survey data.
- Operate airborne remote sensing equipment, such as survey cameras, sensors, or scanners.
- Evaluate remote sensing project requirements to determine the types of equipment or computer software necessary to meet project requirements, such as specific image types or output resolutions.
- Collect verification data on the ground, using equipment such as global positioning receivers, digital cameras, or notebook computers.
- Document methods used and write technical reports containing information collected.
- Develop specialized computer software routines to customize and integrate image analysis.
- Prepare documentation or presentations, including charts, photos, or graphs.

