Drone careers in inspections are booming as industries wake up to the fact that sending a drone is way safer, faster, and cheaper than sending a person up a ladder—or worse, dangling off a bridge or tower. Certified drone inspectors tackle everything from rooftops and powerlines to wind turbines, pipelines, and massive industrial sites. These gigs can pay anywhere from $50 to $200 an hour, depending on complexity and certifications like thermography or LiDAR mapping. It’s a field where you’re not just flying—you’re delivering critical data that keeps infrastructure safe and businesses running smoothly. For detail-oriented pilots who like mixing tech with problem-solving, drone inspections are a rock-solid career with serious upward lift.