# 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.

- **SOC code:** 19-4099.03
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-4099-03
- **Also known as:** Digital Cartographic Technician, Geospatial Extractor, Meteorologist Liaison, Research Associate, Commercial Drone Operator, Commercial Drone Pilot, Commercial Drone Technician, Document Image Technician
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- 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.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Operate remote sensing equipment on drones to collect data in areas that are difficult to access or require high-resolution imagery.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Geography _(knowledge)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Information Ordering _(ability)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Mathematics _(knowledge)_
- Customer and Personal Service _(knowledge)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Geography _(Specialized Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Systems Analysis _(Specialized Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Writing _(Common Skill)_
- Visualization _(Specialized Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- C _(hot technology, in demand)_
- C++ _(hot technology, in demand)_
- ESRI ArcGIS software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Python _(hot technology, in demand)_
- R _(hot technology, in demand)_
- The MathWorks MATLAB _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Creative Cloud software _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(hot technology)_
- AJAX _(hot technology)_
- Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 _(hot technology)_
- Amazon Web Services AWS software _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 70th percentile (High) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 59th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 95th percentile (High) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 56th percentile (Moderate) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 52nd percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** yes — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 3.5% growth (About average); 10.6k annual openings; 83.2k → 86.2k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $60,130; 71,400 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 42% automation, 41% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 3.5 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** task iteration.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Prepare documentation or presentations, including charts, photos, or graphs. _(3.8% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Develop specialized computer software routines to customize and integrate image analysis. _(1.2% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Document methods used and write technical reports containing information collected. _(0.7% of measured AI use; directive)_
- Calibrate data collection equipment. _(0.4% of measured AI use)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me prepare documentation or presentations, including charts, photos, or graphs.
- Help me develop specialized computer software routines to customize and integrate image analysis.
- Help me document methods used and write technical reports containing information collected.
- Help me calibrate data collection equipment.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-19-4099-03_