DUDefense and Counter UAS
DU
Career

Defense and Counter UAS

By the numbers
Typical pay
/ yr
Education to start
Future demand
by 2034
People in this job
Figures shown for ·closest of 3 O*NET occupations
The work
A day, hour by hour
06:00
Shift briefing

Incoming team reviews overnight drone activity logs and active threat alerts.

06:20
Sensor sweep

Scan radar, RF, and optical feeds — confirm all detection systems are live and clean.

07:00
Airspace watch

Eyes on screens; a contact appears — hobbyist or threat? Call it in 30 seconds.

09:30
Equipment checks

Test jamming units and net-capture systems; log any faults before the next shift needs them.

11:00
Threat analysis

Pull last week's flight-pattern data and map where the next incursion is likely to come from.

13:00
Operator training

Run junior operators through a simulated incursion — detection, decision, neutralization, report.

15:00
Playbook update

Rewrite one response protocol after a near-miss exposed a gap in the team's procedure.

17:30
Incident report

Document the morning contact — timeline, sensor data, decision rationale, outcome.

18:00
Shift handoff

Brief the incoming crew on open contacts, system status, and anything that needs watching tonight.

Things you do
  • Scan radar and sensor screens to spot unauthorized drones nearby.
  • Activate jamming or capture systems to bring down rogue drones.
  • Decide in seconds whether a drone is a real threat or a false alarm.
  • Analyze drone flight patterns to predict where threats might come from.
  • Test and maintain counter-drone equipment so it's ready when needed.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Is this drone a real threat, or just a lost hobbyist?
  • Do I neutralize it now, or wait for more information?
  • Will jamming this drone create a bigger hazard than the drone itself?
  • Is my sensor picking up a genuine target, or is this a false alarm?
  • Do I have the legal authority to take action here, or do I need to escalate?
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