Drones could create 100,000 jobs in M’sia by 2030, here’s how you can take part

[This is a sponsored article with MRANTI.]

There was a time when drones were viewed as a toy or just a cool gadget. They were used by photographers and videographers to showcase their creativity through stunning overhead shots.

Later finding their way into more industries, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are today commonly used to improve workflows in agriculture, construction, security, surveillance, as well as search and rescue. 

Drone technology (dronetech) is a booming industry within Malaysia alone, which is why it is expected to contribute RM50.71 billion to the country’s GDP and create 100,000 high-value job opportunities by 2030.

And no, those jobs aren’t just for pilots and engineers.

To get us there, the government rolled out a national action plan, called the Malaysia Drone Technology Action Plan 2022-2030 (MDTAP30).

Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) was appointed by the Ministry of Technology, Science, and Innovation (MOSTI) to lead the agenda.

If you’re hoping to take part in the dronetech industry, here are several leading Malaysian dronetech companies with job openings and drone-related training opportunities.

Hint, hint: The first two names on this list have also been ranked in the world’s top 20 in the Drone Services Providers Ranking 2022.

Drone companies

1. Aerodyne Group (Aerodyne)

Coming in number one on this list and in the Drone Services Providers Ranking 2022, Aerodyne initially started as a media production company that also used drones in their services. Later on, Aerodyne transitioned into a drone services company, and the drones were even used to provide assistance for flood relief efforts.

As the startup grew, the team expanded to providing services in agritech, construction, logistics, and more, where the use of drones and data technology helped to make asset inspection and monitoring more efficient, faster, and safer.

Aerodyne has been working with MRANTI for a while now, and they were part of the launch of Area 57 in August 2021. Briefly, Area 57 is the one-stop centre for dronetech innovation in Malaysia, and this was where Aerodyne debuted their first BVLOS flight demo to MOSTI.

Did you know: BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) refers to the operation of UAVs and drones at distances outside the normal visible range of the pilot. This enables a drone to cover far greater distances. 

Headquartered in Cyberjaya, Aerodyne is now in 44 countries globally, including Australia, the US, UAE, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia.

More than having the technical know-how for the job, Aerodyne’s employees (also known as AeroRangers) are valued for their soft skills which include leadership, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities. 

Candidates who can display these qualities may have a high chance of fitting in with the company’s culture. Those who are curious and up-to-date about the industry are also appreciated.

Aerodyne’s open vacancies include:

Check them out here.

2. Meraque

Meraque started in 2017 as a UAV operator in Facilities Management Building Services. They’ve since ventured into agriculture, telecommunications, entertainment, and logistics.

The team’s involvement with MRANTI was seen during 2022’s flood relief efforts, where Meraque’s drones were used for surveillance, and for delivering critical medical supplies via Pharmaniaga.

Meraque also made it on the Drone Services Providers Ranking 2022, as a top 20 drone company.

Located in Puchong, Meraque’s office is a place where employees are trusted to have ownership over their work. 

With an aim to continuously enhance their products and services, as a candidate, you’d have an edge if you collaborate well in a team, and are passionate about your work.

Meraque’s open vacancies include:

Check them out here.

3. MALVUS Sense (MALVUS)

MALVUS, abbreviated from ‘Malaysia Vision Unmanned System’, was incorporated in September 2016. Headquartered in Bangi, they have offices in Miri and Kota Kinabalu too. 

Providing services in aerial patrolling, structural integrity inspection, and precision agriculture, MALVUS’s clientele includes TNB and Petronas, to name a few.

They also work in plenty of data-based operations such as acquisition and analytics, drone assembly and maintenance, along with drone pilot training.

In terms of the company’s values, MALVUS’s team believes that qualifications aren’t the only prerequisite for scoring a job there. Instead, they look for candidates who are driven by success, and are resourceful.

MALVUS’s open vacancies include:

Check them out here.

Drone training centres

4. Drone Academy Asia

Based in Cyberjaya, Drone Academy Asia was founded in 2018, when the team noticed that the bulk of drone usage in Malaysia was skewed towards aerial photography and hobbyists.

At the time, there wasn’t yet a local centre for professional UAV training to upskill workers in using drones for commercial functions.

Hence, Drone Academy Asia came in to fill that gap by providing drone piloting certification that’s approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).

The desire to upskill is a highly valued trait in anyone who wishes to join the Drone Academy Asia team.

Drone Academy Asia’s open vacancies include:

Check them out here.

5. Aeronerve Institute

Located in Bangi, Aeronerve was founded in 2018 to provide UAV solutions in construction, agriculture, surveillance, and defence. 

Much like Drone Academy Asia, Aeronerve’s team also realised that there was a gap in the workforce’s know-how in operating commercial drones.

Hence, Aeronerve Institute was rolled out in 2022 as the drone training and consultancy arm under Aeronerve. 

To date, the institute shared that they have provided training to more than 3,000 candidates, including government officials, researchers, private drone fleet crews, and individuals looking to upskill.

As educators and instructors themselves, they are looking for team members who are capable of training others, and able to foster a culture of collaboration within the company.

Aeronerve Institute’s open vacancies include:

Check them out here.

6. Bonus: Asia Drone IoT Technologies (Asia Drone)

Note: They’re not currently hiring, but this is a drone company to keep your eye on for future vacancies.

Established in 2018, Asia Drone stated that they’ve trained over 1,000 remote pilots in UAV operations such as aerial mapping and surveying, precision agriculture, as well as maintenance and repair. 

As a drone training centre in KL and Johor, Asia Drone offers programmes to nurture local talents and help them find jobs within the industry. 

They’re looking to upskill participants with a technical or vocational background, or even retrenched workers from sectors like oil and gas, aviation, and IT and software.

Furthermore, graduates of their programmes (Dronetroopers), may be given job opportunities within the company and partnering ones, should vacancies open up. 

When it comes to working at Asia Drone, team members are required to be creative and critical, and have the ability to socialise. This is because if they’re hired as instructors, they must be skilled at engaging with students.

You can keep a lookout for job openings here.

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A large misconception about working in the drone industry is that it only involves those who know how to operate a UAV, such as pilots, engineers, and the like.

In reality, though, drone operation constitutes just 20% of the whole project workflow, with the remaining 80% composed of skills related to data processing, analysis, and other backend work. That’s according to Aeronerve Institute’s CEO, Nizzal Syafiq.

Other than the companies we’ve highlighted, there are more opportunities for those who wish to actively participate in UAV training and dronetech job openings. These can be found by getting directly in touch with MRANTI via area57@mranti.my.

Area 57 is also a host to drone training providers like DJI Academy Selangor, Archidrone, and TDXC, which uses the area for practical drone flying operations within the designated areas.

Featured Image Credit: Drone Academy Asia / Meraque