Why Your Daughter Should Consider Becoming a Pilot or Drone Expert?

Thinking of becoming a commercial pilot or a drone pilot as a girl, yes, you can think that way in contemporary times. As of 2024, there were nearly 15% of women pilots in India, which is significantly higher than the global average of 5%. With 1,767 women commercial pilots out of a total workforce of 10,000, it marks a clear increase in women's participation in aviation. These numbers reflect growing opportunities for women, along with national momentum toward embracing gender equality in aviation.

Drone piloting is also a field where women are making their presence felt.  Drone pilot numbers in India surged from a mere 346 in July 2022 to more than 5,000 by July 2023. Although women's participation was limited until then, the Namo Drone Didi Scheme is an initiative aimed at training 15,000 rural women and providing them with drones for agricultural spraying. These milestones reveal a clear opportunity: a daughter considering a career as a commercial or drone pilot is the way forward.

Historically, aviation in India was dominated by males, but the scenario has changed now. Contemporary role models, such as Kaukab Rizwan, the first Muslim woman to become a commercial pilot and Zoya Agarwal, captain of Air India’s first all-women crew on the San Francisco–Bengaluru route inspire next-gen women aviators.

In the same way, Soumya Kandalayi, who transitioned from homemaker to certified drone pilot, are proving that gender does not limit ambition. Others, for example, Manpreet Kaur in Punjab and Lakshmi Baldania in Gujarat, have become drone instructors in India.

Choosing to become a commercial pilot or a drone operator offers women numerous benefits. For commercial pilots, the career leads to a good income, based on their experience. Furthermore, airlines like Indigo and Vistara offer maternity leave, ground duty throughout pregnancy, and on-site childcare, helping to retain female pilots.

The popularity of drone piloting is increasing among women, not just in India but all over the world.  One just has to be a 10^th passed and hold a remote pilot certification. This opens the window even more for women in India because mostly in rural parts of the country, they are not that educated.  Drone pilots in agriculture can earn up to Rs 30,000 monthly, while Drone Didis are transforming rural economies. Drone work also introduces flexibility and allows for self-employment, which is important for women trying to strike a balance between their family life and professional life.

It is not just about the remuneration, but the respect that comes with an aviation career makes it a path for many girls to follow and also strive for excellence, taking inspiration from their role models.

For a girl to become a commercial pilot, she should have passed the 12^th class in Science stream with Physics and Mathematics as subjects, from a recognized board or University.  After that, she should enroll in a flight training school for theoretical and practical training, amass flight hours, and pass CPL exams.

For drone pilots, it is quicker and more affordable. Your daughter could enroll in a drone pilot training course, earn an RPC and in addition to that can do specialized accreditations in mapping, surveillance and data analysis.

Apart from possessing all the necessary qualifications to become a commercial pilot or a drone pilot, mentorship also plays a significant role. Institutes like Women in Aviation India, Women Who Drone and Women and Drones offer networking opportunities. Airlines and NGOs also provide scholarships to encourage women aviators.

If we talk about the benefits of pursuing an aviation career, whether flying an aircraft or a drone, these are as follows:

• First and foremost, both of these are gender-neutral professions, where the weight is not of gender but of performance. Pilots are experts who shift social perceptions and motivate future generations.
• Both careers offer opportunities to grow and flourish as a professional. Commercial pilots, starting from the rank of first officer, can become airline captains. Drone pilots can also make their way into management, consultancy, training, or even start their entrepreneurial journey.
• Thirdly, both of these professions offer societal contribution. Commercial pilots have the opportunity to travel, trade, and connect; drone pilots support fields such as agriculture, disaster response, infrastructure development and more.

Kaukab Rizwan, a Muslim from Begusarai, Bihar, became a commercial pilot after completing CPL training. She is now an inspiration to other girls, including Muslim girls, to dream of achieving high in aviation. Apart from that, Samaira Hullur, India’s youngest female commercial pilot at 18, has completed more than 200 flight hours.

Speaking of women drone pilots, there are the Drone Didis, flying drones for agricultural missions, earning incomes, shattering stereotypes and helping families thrive.  All these women prove that, irrespective of her caste, creed, colour, or background,  the dream of your daughter is achievable.

A career as a commercial pilot or a drone operator offers not only financial stability and job prospects but also benefits. With recognized support, airline policies, scholarship programs, mentorship networks and role models blazing trails, there’s never been a more fertile time for your daughter to deliberate lifting off into the skies. Whether piloting a plane or drone across continents or deploying drones in various industries. The sky is no longer her limit; it’s just where her journey begins.

If your daughter is also aspiring to become a commercial pilot or a drone pilot, then you can also give a boost to her dreams by enrolling her at Flapone Aviation, one of the finest drone and aircraft training academies in India. Here, she will gain knowledge of the theoretical aspects of aeroplanes and drones, as well as practical experience operating both machines. The fees we charge for the training are nothing when compared to the quality of instruction. Then what are you waiting for? Come to us and make your dream of flying high a reality.