Drone Pilot

Hey - Let's find your next opportunity At Nova Sky Stories , we empower artists and producers to bring awe and wonder to live audiences around the world. As the global leader in drone entertainment, we've been redefining live shows for over a decade-merging cutting-edge drone technology with imaginative artistry.

With a veteran team of engineers and creatives, we design and operate lightweight, small, precise, and safe drones that perform in the most demanding environments-urban centers, extreme temperatures, and high winds. The result? Sky Stories that inspire, captivate, and transform the sky into a canvas of imagination.

Headquartered in the U.S. with teams across Europe and the UAE, Nova Sky Stories works with the world's leading brands, venues, and events. Follow

About the job We are seeking a skilled Person Manipulating the Controls (PMTC) to operate our large-scale drone light show systems under the authority of a designated Pilot in Command (PIC).

The PMTC is the hands-on flight operator responsible for executing launches, monitoring the drone fleet in real time, and responding to aircraft and system behavior throughout the show. While the PIC retains full legal and safety authority, the PMTC plays a critical role in live execution and operational performance.

This role sits at the intersection of aviation, robotics, and live entertainment, supporting synchronized fleets of hundreds to thousands of aircraft at some of the world's most high-profile events.

As a PMTC, you will be responsible for:

• Serve as a pilot responsible for flying shows and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations, guidelines, and best practices. Prioritize the safety of spectators, crew members, and surrounding airspace.
• Operate Nova's drone fleet during live shows as the Person Manipulating the Controls. Execute launches, holds, aborts, and recoveries under the direction of the PIC. Monitor aircraft health, telemetry, GNSS, and communications during flight
• Operate Nova's ground control systems, networking, and flight software. Load, verify, and execute flight plans and show content. Respond in real time to system alerts, aircraft faults, or degraded conditions
• Helps lead load-in and load-out of the entire airfield & pilot system setup. Conduct pre-flight checks on drones, batteries, ground infrastructure, and control systems. Assist with post-flight inspections, logging, and maintenance reporting
• Coordinate closely with ground crew, technical staff, and event organizers to communicate flight plans, timing cues, and any other operational considerations prior, during, and after shows.
• Supply continuous feedback and evaluation of performance metrics to identify areas of improvement and optimization.
• Fly large scale drone light shows: drone light shows using our system.
• Assist with drone repairs.

Required Qualifications

• Proficient in interpreting several incoming streams of data and managing time-critical activities. Able to stay focused and decisive during high-pressure live operations.
• Basic understanding of engineering/electronics/software engineering to perform basic maintenance and troubleshooting on drones.
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal. Proactive communication is highly valued.

It's a plus if you have:

• Experience flying large fleets or synchronized UAS systems
• Background in aviation, robotics, or live technical production
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks (FAA, EASA, GCAA, etc.)
• Experience working in touring or event-based operations
• Willing to travel up to several weekends per month, to various states/countries, and remain there for 2-3 nights and support a show. Opportunities may exist for extended periods, in the case of drone residencies.
• Willing to lift loads up to 20kg/44lb, work outdoors, and set up equipment

What Defines You

• Highly reliable, organized, and execution-focused.
• Calm under pressure and effective in an onsite operating environment.
• A clear, proactive communicator who escalates issues early and appropriately.
• Team-oriented, humble, and eager to learn.
• Motivated by operational excellence, consistency, and continuous improvement.
• Interested in growing into increased production ownership over time.

If you're ready to play a key role in supporting the operational backbone of a company redefining storytelling in the sky, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now to help keep Nova Sky Stories flying high.

Nova Sky Stories
Utrecht, Netherlands

Audio Engineer / Producer We are seeking an experienced Audio Engineer / Producer to lead audio production, mixing, and mastering for time-critical, large-scale drone shows and outdoor live experiences. This role operates at the intersection of creative music production and technical show execution and requires a high degree of precision, adaptability, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering high-quality, show-ready audio that integrates seamlessly with complex show control systems and large-format outdoor playback environments.

As an Audio Engineer / Producer, you will be responsible for:

• Compose, produce, mix, and master original music and sound design for drone shows and large-scale outdoor productions
• Develop audio content that integrates precisely with drone flight animation, SMPTE/LTC timecode-locked show control systems, and large-format outdoor PA deployments
• Ensure frame-accurate synchronization between music, visual cues, and drone formations
• Translate creative briefs, brand guidelines, and visual narratives into cohesive, cinematic soundtracks
• Collaborate closely with creative directors, designers, producers, and technical teams throughout production, rehearsal, and delivery
• Deliver show-ready mixes and masters optimized for outdoor playback, accounting for environmental conditions and audience scale
• Maintain high technical standards for loudness consistency, dynamic range, phase coherence, and real-world playback translation
• Manage structured production workflows, including session organization, version control, revisions, and final asset delivery under tight timelines

You'll need to have:

• Proven experience in audio production, mixing, and mastering for live events, broadcast, or large-scale experiential projects
• Advanced proficiency in Pro Tools as a primary production and delivery environment
• Working proficiency in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and/or FL Studio
• Demonstrated experience with SMPTE/LTC timecode workflows, including synchronization, testing, and validation
• Strong understanding of outdoor PA systems, long-throw playback behavior, and environmental factors affecting sound reproduction
• Experience delivering audio assets for front-of-house playback, redundant playback systems, and pre-programmed show playback engines
• Fluent spoken and written English (primary working language)

It's a plus if you have:

• Background in film scoring, commercial music, or narrative-driven music production
• Experience working on large-scale live events, theme parks, or permanent installations
• Dutch is a strong plus
• Arabic is a strong plus

We are seeking an experienced, collaborative Creative Director to help advance an emerging medium for storytelling within the Sky Story industry. In this role, you will work closely with clients and partners to develop innovative, inspiring story concepts, and collaborate with our world-class Nova Design Studio to bring those ideas to life. Our work spans a range of industries, including theme parks, music, and fine art, but we are particularly interested in those with experience in cultural storytelling, such as tourism, heritage sites, and place-based narratives.

You will play a key role in uniting Nova's cross-functional teams, including engineering, operations, and finance, to push creative and technical boundaries. The Sky Story industry is still young and growing, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. We are open minded to finding the right individuals who can continue to grow this industry.

As a Creative Director, you will be responsible for:

• Develop creative proposals for long-term shows, installations, and residencies
• Partner directly with clients to understand objectives and translate them into compelling story-driven concepts
• Collaborate with the Nova Design Studio to develop and refine creative ideas
• Lead projects from initial concept through execution and delivery
• Align cross-functional teams to ensure creative vision, feasibility, and business goals are met
• Contribute to sales and business development efforts through pitches, decks, and creative presentations

You'll need to have:

• 10+ years of experience in storytelling, creative entertainment, cultural preservation, or a related field
• Strong background in cultural storytelling, ideally with an anthropology, historical, or heritage-based focus
• Proven ability to lead projects from concept through completion
• Experience creating sales collateral, including pitch materials and presentations
• Open-minded, collaborative approach with a strong sense of humility and continuous learning

What defines you

• Passionate about the creative potential of drone and emerging technologies
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