This guide provides helpful information for those looking to become a Navy Drone Pilot during the Fiscal Year 2025.
If you’re seeking more than a controller’s chair and have the technical edge to lead Navy aerial operations from inside the cockpit—or behind high-security consoles—this new Warrant Officer path delivers.
The Air Vehicle Pilot (AVP), designator 7371, isn’t just another aviation billet. It’s a targeted commission for unmanned systems dominance in the most advanced fleet on Earth.
Whether you’re coming from the enlisted ranks or applying straight from civilian life, this role opens the door to becoming a mission-critical operator in the Navy’s aerial command structure.
Keep reading if you want to fly—not just apply.
- Job Role and Responsibilities
- Work Environment
- Training and Skill Development
- Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations
- Deployment and Duty Stations
- Career Progression and Advancement
- Compensation, Benefits, and Lifestyle
- Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations
- Impact on Family and Personal Life
- Post-Service Opportunities
- Qualifications, Requirements, and Application Process
- Is This a Good Job for You? The Right (and Wrong) Fit
- More Information
Job Role and Responsibilities
Air Vehicle Pilots (AVPs) in the U.S. Navy are Warrant Officers entrusted with direct operational control of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). They execute flight operations, mission planning, and airborne data management in support of high-priority maritime and joint-force objectives. AVPs bridge tactical intelligence and real-time aerial command in complex environments.
Daily Tasks
- Drafting mission profiles doesn’t stop at a checklist—AVPs plan autonomous sorties across shifting threat conditions, fuel limitations, and encrypted tasking from higher.
- Execute flight operations via secure command consoles, often coordinating sensor payloads, data links, and tasking adjustments mid-flight with little margin for delay.
- Translate command priorities into actual aerial actions—launch, loiter, track, or strike—under live joint-force oversight.
- Handle the post-flight end too—debriefs, system diagnostics, coordination with enlisted UAV technicians, and recon alignment.
- Navigate classified command networks, software updates, and changing system authorizations—often as the only officer on-site who can.
Specific Roles
There are no sub-specialty branches or additional identifiers within this role at present. The Air Vehicle Pilot operates under a single, purpose-built identifier:
- Designator 7371 – Warrant Officer (WO1) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations
The designator itself embeds mission scope. No AQD, no SSP—just a singular flight focus.
If the Navy introduces sub-designations in the future, they’ll likely track platform specialization (MQ-25 vs MQ-8), but that doesn’t exist in the current framework.
Like Navy Aviators, they earn their “wings” for flying these aircrafts.
Mission Contribution
AVPs extend Navy aviation’s operational reach without risking manned aircraft. When a carrier group needs eyes forward without committing a jet, or when ISR intel can’t wait for satellites, it’s an AVP’s console lighting up.
In real terms, they give commanders the power to see, track, and sometimes strike with zero cockpit risk. They’re embedded in forward tasking chains, not just pushing buttons—they make the mission happen, one loop at a time.
Technology and Equipment
AVPs don’t just use systems—they’re expected to manage the ones nobody else on base is cleared to touch. They fly from mobile ground control stations and encrypted nodes, and they do it on aircraft most sailors won’t ever see on deck. The platforms range, but here’s the typical stack:
- MQ-8 Fire Scout – rotary UAV used for ISR in littoral zones
- MQ-25 Stingray – carrier-based aerial refueler and long-range sensor asset
- Secure flight consoles – tied to live comms grids with layered encryption
- Simulators and mission planning modules – for both certification and pre-launch mapping
- Payload integration tools – because “flying” often means managing optics, comms, or SIGINT tech mid-flight
AVPs also work closely with aviation maintenance teams, but their lane is clear: operate, adjust, deliver. They’re not system engineers—but they need to speak the language when systems break mid-mission.
Work Environment
Setting and Schedule
AVPs work in secure indoor spaces—but these aren’t static posts.
Some days start inside a control room. Others begin in a modular unit two doors from a flight-ready hangar. Location shifts with platform assignment.
Duty hours don’t settle into patterns.
- Missions launch based on operational needs.
- Twelve-hour watches. Split-shift recoveries.
- Off-hours turn active when command notifications drop.
Breaks happen between sorties—not during them. There’s no cycle more constant than unpredictability.
Leadership and Communication
Operational control sits with the AVP—but oversight always rides above.
Command staff issues the tasking. The pilot drives the outcome.
- Orders flow through encrypted channels.
- Mid-flight changes reroute mission parameters without warning.
- Rank defines structure. But execution lives at the operator level.
Formal performance assessments use the Navy’s FITREP system.
Criteria weigh sortie success, systems reliability, and platform uptime. Informal judgments occur live—during operations, not after them.
Team Dynamics and Autonomy
Teamwork frames the mission. It doesn’t fly the aircraft.
- Pre-launch: Technicians prepare the platform.
- In-flight: The AVP commands independently.
- Post-sortie: Analysts extract intel. Techs reset systems.
During flight ops, there’s no dual control. Decisions happen in seconds. Solo judgment carries the load.
Job Satisfaction and Retention
Early retention appears strong—especially among prior enlisted operators.
Reasons vary, but most tie back to platform control and system impact.
- Operators feel ownership.
- Recognition happens through mission feedback, not awards.
- Career growth depends on uptime, adaptability, and mission integration—not showmanship.
AVPs tend to remain where their systems matter.
Training and Skill Development
Initial Training
Every selectee enters through Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, Rhode Island. This is the required accession pipeline for all active-duty AVPs under designator 7371.
It is not optional, and it does not shorten for prior service. Upon successful completion, candidates are commissioned as Warrant Officer 1 (WO1).
Following commissioning, AVPs report for Primary Flight Training under the authority of Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA). However, this path is exclusive to unmanned systems—AVPs do not train for manned flight certification.
Training Sequence Overview:
| Phase | Location | Duration | Content Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Officer Candidate School | Newport, RI | ~13 weeks | Leadership, military structure, warfare doctrine, physical readiness |
| Aviation Ground School | CNATRA Detachments | Varies | Aerodynamics, UAV systems, navigation theory, aviation safety |
| Platform-Specific Pipeline | Fleet Replacement Units or UAV detachments | Varies | System familiarization, console control, mission profiles, secure comms |
Note: Training durations vary by platform assignment and current fleet integration timelines. Operators may be assigned to MQ-8, MQ-25, or emerging platforms.
Advanced Training
Progression doesn’t stop with pipeline graduation. AVPs participate in ongoing mission-specific and platform-specific upgrades throughout their career. These include:
- Advanced console certification for new flight software builds
- Payload operations integration, including ISR sensors, comms modules, or SIGINT packages
- Secure network protocol training for special access missions
Some units also require recurring simulator validation, typically every 6–12 months. This ensures system currency and operator compliance under live-test scenarios.
Skill Development Support
The Navy sustains AVP career growth through:
- On-duty technical refresh courses via CNATRA and platform schools
- Distance learning modules through Navy eLearning
- Formal evaluations driving eligibility for future special duty, lead trainer roles, or operational detachment command
AVPs operate in a dynamic mission set—skills must evolve to keep pace with both aircraft and adversary.
Physical Demands and Medical Evaluations
Physical Requirements
The AVP pipeline falls under naval aviation accessions policy. All applicants must complete a flight physical conducted by a qualified Navy flight surgeon.
This evaluation determines aeronautical adaptability—a critical qualifier that goes beyond general fitness.
Once selected, AVPs remain subject to ongoing physical readiness evaluations consistent with Navy-wide standards.
While they do not undergo the same centrifuge or jet-aircrew conditioning as manned pilots, the operational role still demands functional resilience, vision standards, and cognitive response under fatigue.
Daily Demands:
- Extended console time in confined, high-security workspaces
- Rapid-response operations that interrupt sleep cycles
- High cognitive load during mission reroutes, target acquisition, and payload adjustments
- Long-duration watch rotations with limited rest buffers
Though not physically punishing in a traditional sense, the workload is sustained and systemic.
Physical Readiness Test (PRT) – 2025 Requirements
AVPs, like all active-duty Navy personnel, must meet the Navy Physical Readiness Test (PRT) minimum standards semi-annually. These standards apply regardless of platform or duty station.
PRT Minimum Scores (2025) – Age: 17–19 Bracket
| Category | Male Minimum | Female Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Forearm Plank | 1:25 | 1:25 |
| 1.5-Mile Run | 13:30 | 15:30 |
| Push-ups (2 min) | 42 | 17 |
Note: AVPs must remain in compliance throughout their service—PRT failures can trigger probation or affect advancement eligibility.
Medical Evaluations
Initial medical clearance includes full aviation physiological screening. Once in the program, AVPs must maintain medical clearance through periodic re-certifications, typically tied to flight status reviews or platform-specific upgrades.
Additional evaluations may include:
- Vision and depth perception screening
- Hearing and neurological baselines
- Cardiovascular risk assessments during annual PHA (Periodic Health Assessment)
Medical ineligibility may result in program removal or reassignment per MILPERSMAN 1540-010.
Deployment and Duty Stations
Deployment Details
AVPs are deployed in line with their platform assignment. Missions support ISR, maritime patrol, fleet surveillance, and joint tasking operations across sea and shore environments.
Assignment type (detachment, squadron, or air wing) dictates the deployment cycle.
Deployment characteristics:
- Duration: Standard 6–7 months, occasionally longer depending on command requirements
- Environment: Carrier decks, littoral combat ships (LCS), forward operating airfields, or classified ISR sites
- Deployment platforms:
- MQ-25 Stingray: Embarked aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and other NIMITZ/FORD-class carriers
- MQ-8 Fire Scout: Deploys with LCS crews out of Naval Station Mayport, FL, or Destroyer Squadron detachments from San Diego, CA
- Classified or test platforms: Operate out of NAS Patuxent River, MD, or Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, CA
AVPs conduct real-time missions across sea lines, operational theaters, and denied airspace corridors without physically leaving base once the drone is launched. Still, deployment status counts as active operational rotation.
Location Flexibility
Permanent duty assignments depend on fleet needs, platform inventory, and unit readiness cycles. AVPs may be stationed at:
- NAS North Island, San Diego, CA – primary location for Fire Scout training and operational detachments
- NAS Jacksonville, FL – East Coast MQ-8B/C support and UAV fleet training
- NAS Patuxent River, MD – test and evaluation (T&E) assignments; UAV R&D integration
- Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, CA – MQ-25 operational training and tactical development
- Naval Station Norfolk, VA – expeditionary UAV squadron deployments for Atlantic Fleet
- Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan or Andersen AFB, Guam – forward-deployed UAV detachments supporting Indo-Pacific operations
Additional assignments may involve short-term TAD or platform certification rotations, especially for AVPs aligned with testing or integration commands.
Duty preference is not guaranteed but may be discussed during final placement. Flexibility increases after initial platform qualification and satisfactory performance.
Career Progression and Advancement
Career Path
AVPs follow a structured but selective promotion track within the Warrant Officer corps.
Advancement depends on platform performance, billet availability, and technical leadership growth—not time in service alone.
The 7371 designator does not lead into the unrestricted line officer path—it stays within technical aviation.
Typical Career Milestones:
| Rank / Role | Designation | Time in Grade (Approx.) | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warrant Officer 1 | 7371 | Entry | Platform qualification, sortie execution |
| Chief Warrant Officer 2 | 7371 | 2–3 years | Lead operator, console training, detachment ops |
| Chief Warrant Officer 3 | 7371 | 5–6 years | Detachment leadership, platform SME roles |
| Chief Warrant Officer 4 | 7371 | ~10 years | Senior advisor to squadron CO, cross-platform integration |
| Chief Warrant Officer 5 | 7371 | Selective | Rare; high-level aviation strategy and policy alignment |
Promotion eligibility is competitive and based on performance reviews, platform readiness impact, mission reliability, and command recommendation.
Advancement to CWO5 is rare and based on top-tier technical leadership roles.
Specialization Opportunities
While AVPs enter under a single designator (7371), technical depth increases through platform specialization and fleet integration assignments. Specialization is shaped by:
- MQ-25 vs MQ-8 system qualification
- Tactical console upgrade certification
- Advanced payload or ISR integration roles
- Joint-service liaison billets in UAV coordination
As of 2025, the Navy has not introduced Additional Qualification Designators (AQDs) specific to AVPs, but this may change as platform inventory expands.
Role Flexibility and Transfers
Transfers into or out of the 7371 community are restricted. This is a closed-loop technical warrant officer designator. However:
- AVPs may laterally shift between UAV platforms if re-qualified
- Warrant Officers may pursue staff assignments in aviation test, training, or doctrine development
- Limited crossover into OCS programs (commissioned line officer path) may be available with exceptional command endorsements, though not common
Most career mobility occurs within the 7371 structure through platform evolution, command rotation, and mission-level leadership.
Performance Evaluation
Warrant Officer performance is reviewed using Fitness Reports (FITREPs). These are formal, ranked evaluations tied to mission success, system uptime, sortie execution, and leadership performance. AVPs are assessed on:
- Platform availability and operator efficiency
- Console time-to-readiness during operations
- Team leadership (if assigned) and detachment impact
- Integration within air wing, command, or ISR tasking cell
Success is not based on visibility but on mission execution without compromise. Reliable operators with proven precision tend to move up—those without it do not.
Compensation, Benefits, and Lifestyle
Financial Benefits
AVPs begin their careers as Warrant Officer 1 (WO1). Compensation includes base pay, flight pay (if assigned to applicable billets), and multiple allowances.
Pay scales are adjusted annually by the Department of Defense and administered through Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).
Compensation Snapshot – 2025 (WO1, less than 2 years service):
| Pay Type | Monthly Amount (Approx.) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Base Pay | $3,786.00 | DFAS 2025 Military Pay Table |
| BAS (Subsistence) | $452.56 | DFAS |
| BAH (Housing)* | $1,500–$3,200 | Varies by location |
| Flight Pay** | $150–$250 | Based on duty assignment |
* BAH is tax-free and dependent on duty station and dependency status
** AVPs assigned to operational UAV platforms may be eligible for Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP)
Additional bonuses or career incentive pays may apply after advanced qualification, platform instructor certification, or extended operational deployments.
Additional Benefits
AVPs receive the full benefit suite available to active-duty Navy personnel:
- Healthcare: Full medical and dental coverage under TRICARE
- Housing: Access to on-base housing or BAH for off-base accommodations
- Education: Tuition assistance, GI Bill benefits, and credentialing opportunities
- Retirement: Blended Retirement System (BRS) with Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) matching and pension eligibility after 20 years of service
Navy programs also include life insurance, disability coverage, and legal assistance services at no cost.
Work-Life Balance
While AVPs operate under high readiness expectations, they retain access to standard Navy leave policies:
- 30 days of paid leave annually
- Special liberty (libo) during low operational cycles or post-deployment
- Family leave policies for parental, emergency, and PCS-related absence
- Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs on base provide discounted travel, fitness facilities, and community resources
Work-life balance is closely tied to platform assignment. Deployable AVPs experience longer active periods, but shore-based operators may stabilize between missions.
Risk, Safety, and Legal Considerations
Job Hazards
AVPs do not face the same physical risk profile as manned pilots, but the operational environment carries unique demands.
Hazards stem from sustained mission pressure, classified system access, and cognitive fatigue from extended console operations.
Key risk factors include:
- Extended-duration missions under information saturation
- Isolation during live operations, often with limited external support
- System failure contingencies requiring immediate operator judgment
- Shift-induced sleep disruption, especially during forward or maritime deployments
Fatigue management, psychological resilience, and platform familiarity reduce long-term stress but do not eliminate it.
Operators are expected to self-report performance-affecting conditions and may be temporarily grounded based on command medical review.
Safety Protocols
System safety is layered across procedural, technical, and supervisory domains. AVPs operate under a robust safety regime built into UAV fleet integration doctrine. Every platform assignment includes mandatory platform-specific safety qualifications.
Key safety measures include:
- Emergency procedure drills conducted during simulator training
- Mission abort thresholds defined by command-specific risk matrices
- Data link redundancy systems to prevent mid-sortie loss of control
- Pre-launch checks and live comms validation for all operational flights
AVPs are also included in Aviation Safety Awareness Programs (ASAP) and mishap reporting systems managed through the Naval Safety Command.
Security and Legal Requirements
AVPs must meet the Director of National Intelligence standards for SCI clearance, with no exceptions. This requirement is applied prior to primary flight training and enforced through Intelligence Community Directive 704.
No waivers are authorized for clearance eligibility.
Security obligations include:
- Lifetime responsibility for handling classified materials
- Non-disclosure agreements signed at multiple career points
- Strict data access control using tiered authentication protocols
- Operational silence on missions, platforms, and tactics
Failure to maintain clearance, or breach of classified handling procedures, results in immediate removal from the community and potential legal action under the UCMJ.
Deployment & Conflict Zone Legalities
Although AVPs do not physically enter combat zones, their platforms often do. As a result, mission execution falls under combatant command authority during forward operations.
Targeting, ISR collection, and payload deployment carry both legal and ethical frameworks governed by Navy ROE (Rules of Engagement) and Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) standards.
Operators must maintain:
- Accountability for system actions taken under their control
- Documentation integrity during post-mission review
- Command compliance when executing remotely directed operations
AVPs are briefed regularly on lawful targeting procedures, escalation criteria, and command accountability for unmanned actions taken during joint-force engagements.
Impact on Family and Personal Life
Family Considerations
Family life adjusts around mission priority, not the other way around.
Shifts swing late. Console watches bleed into off days. Notification windows shrink. And when orders come—they don’t explain themselves.
Disruption isn’t hypothetical. It’s operational:
- No family involvement in deployment briefings
- No advanced notice on sudden reassignments or detachment fill-ins
- No conversations about mission content—ever
Home stability depends on the platform, the command, and how far the detachment rotates forward. For shore-based AVPs, the cycle slows. For deployed detachments—family rhythm fractures early.
Support Systems
The Navy extends support. But support doesn’t mean simplicity.
What exists:
- Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC): logistics help, counseling, family briefings
- Child Development Centers (CDCs): affordable on-base child care
- Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP): assignment adjustments based on dependent medical needs
- Command Ombudsman Programs: indirect line between unit leadership and homefront concerns
- Military Family Life Counselors (MFLCs): confidential services not tied to command reports
These aren’t optional. Families tied to AVP roles often rely on these just to stabilize between detachments, housing shifts, and unlisted duty rotations.
Relocation and Flexibility
Mobility is operational. It doesn’t revolve around planning calendars or school years.
- PCS orders drop based on fleet demand
- Temporary duty (TAD) can relocate a WO1 mid-cycle
- Spouse employment, childcare, and continuity planning become reactive—by design
Relocation isn’t a question of if, only how fast. AVPs may rotate between Patuxent River, Point Mugu, North Island, Jacksonville, Atsugi, or Guam with minimal lead time.
Some transitions occur between deployments. Others happen mid-tour, with platform transfers or detachment expansions.
No duty station is permanent. And no platform sits idle long enough to make it predictable.
Post-Service Opportunities
Transition to Civilian Life
AVPs exit the Navy with technical flight system experience, platform command time, and classified ISR operational records—a rare combination outside the restricted defense sector. Post-service, the most direct transitions land inside:
- Defense contracting for unmanned systems development
- Aviation systems testing and training for military-grade UAV platforms
- ISR mission coordination roles with DHS, CIA, or other federal agencies
- Systems engineering or ops analyst positions supporting joint-force UAV architecture
Classified mission experience doesn’t translate into résumé language easily—but platform fluency does. Operators trained on MQ-25, MQ-8, or classified systems become asset-qualified applicants for both public and private aerospace sectors.
Transition Support Programs
The Navy provides structured transition systems to move AVPs into post-service roles:
- SkillBridge Program: allows final 180 days of active duty to be used for civilian internships or industry training
- Navy COOL (Credentialing Opportunities On-Line): maps military flight and systems training into FAA, CompTIA, and other civilian-recognized certifications
- Transition Assistance Program (TAP): includes job placement counseling, résumé prep, and federal employment navigation
- Post-9/11 GI Bill: full tuition support for college or trade programs following active service
AVPs also gain access to veteran hiring preference for federal jobs and DoD-cleared industry pipelines through existing security clearance status.
Civilian Career Prospects
| Civilian Role | Median Salary | Relevant Agency / Sector |
|---|---|---|
| UAV Pilot (Defense Contractor) | $91,430 | General Atomics, Raytheon, Leidos |
| ISR Analyst / Sensor Operator | $74,150 | NGA, Booz Allen, Department of Homeland Security |
| Systems Technician – UAS Platforms | $68,540 | Northrop Grumman, Anduril Industries |
| Flight Systems Test Operator (Private Sector) | $84,360 | Lockheed Martin, Kratos, BAE Systems |
| Cyber ISR Integration Specialist | $102,200 | NSA, CIA, commercial cybersecurity firms |
Qualifications, Requirements, and Application Process
Basic Qualifications
All candidates applying for the AVP (7371) program must meet strict eligibility criteria at the time of commissioning. These include education, citizenship, age, aptitude testing, physical standards, and clearance eligibility.
Waiver policies are extremely limited and apply to age only, under specific conditions.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements – AVP Program (March 2025)
| Requirement | Minimum Standard | Waiver Available |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | U.S. Citizen only | No |
| Age | 18–31 years at time of commissioning | Yes (age only) |
| Education | Associate degree (minimum) from accredited institution | No |
| Aptitude Test | 96+ on Selection of Unmanned Aerial Systems Personnel Battery | No |
| Time in Service (Enlisted) | <12 total years by commissioning date | No |
| Physical | Must pass Navy flight physical with aeronautical adaptability | No |
| Security Clearance | Must qualify for SCI clearance (ICD 704 standards) | No |
Important Notes:
- All prior or current military flight training dropouts (for reasons other than minor medical) are ineligible.
- Applicants must provide a personal statement detailing motivation, plus two reference letters addressing technical and operational aptitude.
- High test scores are preferred. CNRC will only accept minimum aptitude scores under exceptional conditions.
Application Process
The application follows a structured path with multiple checkpoints. Packages must be complete and submitted through authorized Navy recruiting channels.
Application Steps:
- Pre-screening with a Navy Officer Recruiter
- Gather and submit all documentation, including:
- High school and college transcripts
- Personal statement of intent
- Two technical reference letters
- Aptitude test results
- Flight physical (if already active-duty)
- Security clearance eligibility screening
- Submission to Navy Recruiting Command (CNRC) for selection board review
- If applicable: Submit age waiver request (Form available from CNRC N311)
Processing time depends on board cycles and application volume but generally runs 4–6 months from submission to final determination.
Selection Criteria and Competitiveness
Selection for AVP (7371) is highly competitive. Candidates are evaluated across:
- Technical aptitude and systems understanding
- Quality of reference letters and personal statement
- Mental qualification score (minimum 96, but higher is strongly preferred)
- Prior enlisted performance (if applicable)
- Security clearance eligibility (non-waiverable)
Aviation Officer Community Managers (BUPERS-313) and Chief Warrant Officer Community Managers (BUPERS-319) oversee final quotas and candidate alignment with community needs.
Upon Accession into Service
Once selected:
- Civilian and enlisted applicants E-4 and below are advanced to E-5 upon reporting to Officer Candidate School (OCS).
- Enlisted E-5 and above retain current paygrade during OCS.
- Upon graduation, all selectees are appointed as Warrant Officer 1 (WO1), designator 7371 (AVP).
- A minimum 7-year active-duty obligation begins from the date of aviation warfare designation (i.e., winging).
- Disenrollment from training triggers reassignment under MILPERSMAN 1540-010.
Is This a Good Job for You? The Right (and Wrong) Fit
Ideal Candidate Profile
This is not a passive-duty role. It’s not for observers, nor for those looking to float through an aviation billet by proxy. The AVP track demands technical steadiness, mental stamina, and long-form focus across volatile timelines.
Successful AVPs consistently demonstrate:
- Tactical concentration that holds over hours of console time without visual variance
- Adaptability under re-tasking conditions, often with encrypted parameters and zero external guidance
- Comfort with classified isolation, where mission details can’t be shared outside the vault
- System fluency, not just in operation—but in troubleshooting mid-sortie when response time is measured in seconds
This is not a job for thrill-seekers. It’s for those who excel in unmanned precision, not manned adrenaline.
Potential Challenges
The job removes airframe risk—but inserts new stressors:
- Long console watches with zero margin for error
- No backup during live ops—single-seat command responsibility
- Disrupted circadian rhythm, particularly on sea-based or forward-stationed detachments
- Silent operational tempo, where platform success often goes unrecognized beyond mission debrief
AVPs are accountable for every loop, every delay, and every system deviation. Few billets in the Navy place more sustained pressure on a single operator.
Career and Lifestyle Alignment
This role aligns with:
- Individuals seeking long-term stability within the Warrant Officer community
- Those comfortable with limited public-facing command visibility
- Technically minded professionals who prefer console control to cockpit flight
- Candidates interested in ISR, UAS, or joint-force integration post-service
It may misalign for:
- Candidates who expect wide platform mobility or unrestricted transfer options
- Those who require structured personal schedules to balance external obligations
- Individuals who struggle with silence-driven operations under classified constraints
Success in this role comes from comfort inside isolation, not avoidance of it.
Also Read: Navy OCS Guide for Officer Applicants
More Information
If the AVP path still holds your attention after everything you’ve seen here—then it may already be the right fit.
This is a role where detail defines success, where unmanned doesn’t mean unaccountable, and where operators are trusted with silence, secrecy, and system command from day one.
To begin the application process or speak with a command-qualified officer recruiter, reach out directly to your local Navy Officer Programs Recruiter. They’ll walk you through eligibility, documentation, and submission timelines tailored to your background—civilian or enlisted.
Find a Navy Officer Recruiter:
👉 https://www.navy.com/start
Need More Official Program Info?
For details on Program Authorization 106A, designator 7371, or Navy Warrant Officer program structure, request a referral to a Warrant Officer Community Manager or access the latest documentation via your recruiter or command chain.
This isn’t a slot that fits everyone—but if it fits you, start early and prepare deliberately.
You may also be interested to read related Navy aviation jobs such as Naval Aviator and Naval Flight Officer.
