The drone market is consolidating itself as a professional alternative in various fields, from audiovisual inspection to industrial inspection, including public security and agribusiness. From above, they are able to provide images from unprecedented angles, monitor traffic or apply fertilizer on a large-scale farm while saving time. Naturally, novelty arouses a lot of interest.
The crowded test field gave young people the opportunity to fly one of these devices for a few minutes, under the guidance of an instructor. For many of them, it was their first contact with equipment, such as third-year high school students Cua Benicio, 18, and Gustavo Leite da Silva, 20. The two live in Complexo do Alemão and are robotics students at ViDançar, a social project that has been working in the community for 15 years.
— I want to study mechanical engineering and I like to take advantage of events to learn more about new technologies. I’ve always wanted to own a drone, and it was interesting to see how it stabilized in the air, says Silva.
– What caught my attention most was the high sensitivity of the remote control – says Benicio, who is still choosing a profession and looking for references.
In addition to the practical tests, Bruno Mendes, Senac RJ’s drone photography and film course instructor, spoke to the audience about the job market and his own history with the equipment, which he first came into contact with in 2017, when he was working as a tour guide in Ireland. At first, I recorded the excursions using only a cell phone and a GoPro, to show tourists different angles of the tours.
Even in those early days, the drone was merely an entertainment accessory, but it soon aroused the curiosity of photo-conscious travelers. The equipment ended up being incorporated into tours and became Mendes’ signature tool. When the Irish Tourism Administration website requested a photo package, its shots gained commercial value and paved the way for the device to become a source of income. Early clients referred other clients, and various requests began to come in, such as wedding registries, YouTube content, and branding campaigns.
He built an image bank to collect the accumulated material and turn it into a portfolio, expanding his reach. Returning to Brazil, with his luggage, he became the official pilot of the Rio Ferris wheel, doing press coverage, marine actions, company inspections, segments and celebrations.
It serves as an example for young people looking for a career that combines personal and financial satisfaction.
– I started as a self-taught person, but today there are many course options that will shorten this path and provide training and advice that I had to discover for myself – he says. One such course is “Drone in Practice: Photos and Photography at Another Level”, a basic training that includes 32 hours of theory and practice, offered by Senac RJ. As the drone market grows, 155 classes have already graduated since the course was launched in 2023. The institution plans to launch advanced training in 2026, due to high demand.
Mendes tries to demystify the fact that equipment costs are a barrier for those who want to take their first steps in the field. An Internet search shows that there are professional devices for less than R$ 1000.
— There are options for all budgets, but it is important to know, in addition to price, which models make the most sense for each type of work. But the difference lies in making the customer happy, he recommends it.
According to Henrique Zombicchiati, educational solutions specialist at Senac RJ, drone operating lessons attract people of different age groups, interested in learning to fly for personal reasons, to record photos of a flight for example, and for professional reasons, whether to get a first job or for a career transition.
– A drone is not a toy, but a tool. Students study the basics of legislation, aviation safety and climate analysis, practice flying and learn video editing with an emphasis on social networking. The idea is to enable them to publish their first video online, and from there, create a portfolio, which will make entering the job market much easier – explains Zombicchiati. In this sector of the job market, the sky is the limit.