Chief Drone Pilot

Job Title: Chief Drone Pilot
Operations/ Location: Hippo Valley Estates (1) Triangle Limited (1)
Job Level: CL
Reports To: Agronomist
Purpose of Role: Oversees and manages agricultural drone operations, ensuring compliance with aviation regulations while optimising precision farming practices to enhance crop management and sustainability

• Remote Pilot Licence
• Agriculture
• related Requirements and/or Aviation Requirements
• Clean class 4 driver’s licence
• Minimum of 3 years of Experience in agricultural RPA operations, with at least 1 year in a supervisory role.
• Experience in sugarcane production is an added advantage.

• Leads and manages a team of Drone Pilots and flight crew, ensuring adherence to operational and regulatory standards.
• Develops flight schedules, allocates resources, and oversees mission planning for effective field operations.
• Enforces Company SHE protocols during all operations using drones.
• Plans maintenance schedules for all the drones and ensures that they are in good working condition.
• Seeks flying clearance from CAAZ for all drone operations daily before tasks commence
• Conducts training and performance evaluations to enhance pilot Skills and compliance.
• Ensures all remote Aircraft operations align with agronomic strategies and business objectives.
• Maintains and reviews flight logs, application records, and reports to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Monitors operational standards and supervises remote pilots who work under the authority of the Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems Operator Certificate (ROC).
• Enforces adherence to Civil Aviation (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) Regulations, 2018 (SI 271 of 2018) and company policies.
• Ensures drone pilots operate remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) by the flight manual and THZ RPA Operation procedures through periodic checks.
• Oversees aerial surveys, mapping, and precision spraying to optimise agricultural productivity.
• Identifies operational risks and implements mitigation measures to enhance safety and reliability.
• Develops Safety, Health and Environment procedures and regulations for drone operation activities and enforces compliance.
• Produces weekly operational reports for review
• Ensures that daily status check lists for the drones are done to ensure operational safety

In pursuit of affirmative action towards gender based equal opportunity employment, eligible female applicants are encouraged to apply. Applications with a CV, certified educational certificates, and Requirements should be submitted to. Fiona. Nekati@tongaat.com(Hippo applications) and. Daniel. Mazambani@tongaat.com(Triangle applications) by close of day on Friday 12 September 2025. Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us in 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful.